EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0478*
HOUSE BILL 478
F4, E4 5lr1062
CF SB 504
By: Washington County Delegation
Introduced and read first time: January 20, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 1, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Hagerstown Community College Police Force – Jurisdiction 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing a Hagerstown Community College police officer to exercise 3
powers granted to a peace and police officer within Washington County under certain 4
circumstances; and generally relating to the Hagerstown Community College Police 5
Force. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Education 8
Section 16–407.1 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Education 14
16–407.1. 15
(a) There is a Hagerstown Community College Police Force. 16
(b) (1) A Hagerstown Community College police officer has the powers granted 17
to a peace and police officer. 18
2 HOUSE BILL 478
(2) (i) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS 1
PARAGRAPH , A Hagerstown Community College police officer may exercise these powers 2
only on property that is owned, leased, operated by, or under the control of Hagerstown 3
Community College. 4
(ii) The police officer may [not] exercise these powers on any other 5
property [unless] WITHIN WASHINGTON COUNTY IF: 6
1. Engaged in fresh pursuit of a suspected offender; 7
2. Necessary to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic to and 8
from property owned, leased, operated by, or under the control of Hagerstown Community 9
College; or 10
3. Ordered to do so by the Governor. 11
(c) (1) In consultation with the Secretary of State Police and the Maryland 12
Police Training and Standards Commission, the Hagerstown Community College Board of 13
Trustees shall adopt standards, qualifications, and prerequisites of character, training, 14
education, human and public relations, and experience for Hagerstown Community College 15
police officers, including standards for the performance of their duties. 16
(2) To the extent practicable, the Board shall adopt standards that are 17
similar to the standards adopted for the Department of State Police. 18
(d) The Hagerstown Community College Board of Trustees shall adopt 19
regulations governing the operation and conduct of the Hagerstown Community College 20
Police Force and of Hagerstown Community College police officers. 21
(E) NOTHING IN THIS SECTI ON MAY BE CONSTRUED TO: 22
(1) SUPERSEDE THE AUTHORITY OR JURISDICTION OF : 23
(I) THE WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERRIFF’S OFFICE; OR 24
(II) ANY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY , AS DEFINED IN § 25
1–101(C) OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY ARTICLE; OR 26
(2) LIMIT THE AUTHORITY O R JURISDICTION OF TH E HAGERSTOWN 27
COMMUNITY COLLEGE POLICE FORCE AUTHORIZED UNDER § 5–802 OF THE 28
CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE. 29
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 30
1, 2025. 31