Section 3-303 - Entities Authorized to Apply for Appointment of Special Police Officers; Qualifications of Applicants

(a) The following entities may apply for the appointment of special police officers for the following purposes: (1) a municipal corporation, county, or other governmental body of the State, in order to protect property owned, leased, or regularly used by the governmental body or any of its units; (2) another state, or subdivision or unit of another state, that has an interest in property located wholly or partly in this State, in order to protect the property; (3) a college, university, or public school system in the State, in order to protect its property or students; or (4) a person that exists and functions for a legal business purpose, in order to protect its business property. (b) The applicant for a commission shall be at least 18 years old. (c) (1) This subsection does not apply to an applicant for an initial commission who, within 5 years prior to application, has: (i) completed a basic training course for police officers approved by the Secretary in consultation with the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission; (ii) completed a basic training course for police officers similar to the course described in item (i) of this paragraph in another state or for the

Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission; (ii) completed a basic training course for police officers similar to the course described in item (i) of this paragraph in another state or for the federal government; (iii) separated from a law enforcement agency in good standing; or (iv) completed training approved by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission for a special police officer at a State institution of higher education. (2) An applicant for an initial commission shall complete a training course approved by the Secretary in consultation with the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission consisting of at least 80 hours of instruction, including instruction on: (i) criminal law; (ii) constitutional procedural requirements relating to search, seizure, and arrest; and (iii) the appropriate use of force.