Sec. 01.01.2012.03. State Law Enforcement Coordinating Council

A. Established. There is a State Law Enforcement Coordinating Council (Council).

B. Membership.

(1) The Council shall include the following State law enforcement agencies (member agencies):

(a) State Police;

(b) The Maryland Transportation Authority Police;

(c) Mass Transit Administration Police;

(d) The Natural Resources Police;

(e) University of Maryland Department of Public Safety, and all police departments of the constituent institutions of the University System of Maryland listed in Section 12-101(b)(5) of the Education Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland;

(f) The Morgan State University Police Force; and

(g) Maryland Capitol Police.

(2) The Secretary of State Police will serve as the Chair of the Council.

(3) The Council Chair shall select two chiefs from the member agencies who shall serve as Deputy Chairs for an appointment period not to exceed one year.

(4) The Executive Committee will be comprised of the Chair and Deputy Chairs of the Council.

(5) The Membership of the Council may be expanded to include other State law enforcement agencies by the unanimous decision of the Executive Committee.

(6) The Advisory Group to the Council shall include, but is not limited to designated representatives from the:

(a) Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention;

(b) Maryland Highway Safety Office;

(c) Maryland Police Training Commission;

(d) Maryland Emergency Management Agency; and

(e) Governor’s Office of Homeland Security.

C. Procedures.

(1) Council meetings shall be attended by designated representatives of each member agency and shall be held on a quarterly basis or as necessary.

(2) The Council shall adopt written policies and procedures to implement the provisions of this Executive Order, including policies and procedures to ensure the safe, efficient, and cooperative provision of law enforcement services in instances in which a member agency of the Council is operating with expanded jurisdiction as provided for in subsection E(1) of this Executive Order.

(3) As provided in subsection C(5), the Executive Committee shall approve actions of the Council under circumstances where coordination of State law enforcement agencies will serve to protect the public safety. Council coordinated activity may include, but is not limited to, responding to crime trends of a statewide, regional or local nature by targeted enforcement or investigative activity, investigating specific criminal activity within the State, maintaining homeland security, responding to emergencies either natural or manmade, or undertaking such actions as may help to enhance the safety of the roadways or any mode of travel on public transportation.

(4) The Executive Committee shall also decide which member agencies shall participate in each action, based upon the resources a particular member agency has available to participate, the location of the action and the particular expertise that the member agency has available to contribute to the action.

(5) All planned law enforcement actions of the Council shall be approved by a unanimous decision of the Executive Committee. An Executive Committee member who is not available to participate in any decision of the Committee shall designate a representative from within his or her agency. The scope and aims of each Council action shall be described in writing before it is carried out. The outcome shall be documented within a reasonable time following completion of the action. Any action for which the Executive Committee, because of an emergency or other time-sensitive situation, does not have time to prepare and approve a written document detailing the scope and aims in advance shall be approved upon the verbal authorization of a majority of the Executive Committee. The scope, aims, and outcome of the Council action shall be documented as soon thereafter as reasonably possible.

(6) On September 1 of each year, the Council shall submit a summary report to the Governor concerning all actions taken under this Executive Order for the previous fiscal year ending June 30, including the member agency participants and the location of each action.

D. Duties.

(1) The Council has the authority and responsibility to coordinate among its member agencies to further the safety and security of the people of Maryland and to improve the administration and enforcement of the laws of Maryland by ensuring that police resources are deployed across the State to address state-wide crime trends, regional and local crime, maintain homeland security, respond to any threats to homeland security, and to address emergencies either natural or man-made.

(2) The Council will explore opportunities for its member agencies to work collaboratively with local law enforcement agencies and seek to foster enhanced communications and working relations among all law enforcement agencies in the State to achieve a safer Maryland.

(3) The Council will seek efficiencies in administrative functions among its member agencies, including but not limited to the following:

(a) Training;

(b) Information Technology;

(c) Communications;

(d) Procurement;

(e) Campus Security;

(f) Homeland Security; and

(g) Development and implementation of emergency planning.

E. Jurisdiction.

(1) Member agencies may exercise all the authority of a police officer of the Department of State Police as provided in Section 2-412 of the Public Safety Article when carrying out any action approved by the Council as provided for in this Executive Order and as authorized by:

(a) Section 7-207(b)(iii) of the Transportation Article for the Maryland Transit Administration Police;

(b) Section 4-208(b)(4)(iii) of the Transportation Article for the Maryland Transportation Authority Police;

(c) Section 13-601(b)(2)(iv) of the Education Article for the University of Maryland Police and the police departments of the constituent institutions of the University System of Maryland listed in Section 12-101(b)(5) of the Education Article; and

(d) Section 14-106(b)(2)(iii) for the Morgan State University Police Force.

(2) A police officer of the Natural Resources Police shall have the full authority of a police officer of the State as provided in Section 1-204(a) of the Natural Resources Article, including the authority to enforce traffic laws when carrying out any action approved by the Council as provided for in this Executive Order.

(3) A police officer of the Maryland Capitol Police as defined by Section 4-605(c) of the State Finance and Procurement Article shall have the full authority of a police officer to enforce the criminal laws of the State as provided by Section 2-102 of the Criminal Procedure Article when carrying out any action approved by the Council as provided for in this Executive Order.

(4) No provision of this Executive Order is intended to compromise or limit any of the powers, protections, or immunities otherwise granted by law to member agencies or other law enforcement agencies within Maryland.

Effective date: February 29, 2012