Criminal Citations/Traffic Citations

Policy Against Discrimination

I. POLICY

It is the policy of the Field Enforcement Bureau, as stated in Maryland Law, Criminal Procedure §4-101.1 (h), that a criminal citation will be issued based on probable cause that the cited violation has occurred and in accordance with existing law. The race/ ethnicity or gender of an alleged violator shall play no role in an agent’s decision on whether to issue or not issue a criminal citation. Members will be reminded of their legal responsibilities regarding the issuance of a criminal citation through periodic training.

  1. It is also the policy of the Field Enforcement Bureau that all criminal citations issued for violations enumerated in Maryland Law, Criminal Procedure Article § 4-101 by agency personnel will be recorded in the agency’s record management system and forwarded to the Maryland State Police each calendar year as required by law. Likewise, this agency shall review the data collected and submitted to the Maryland State Police as well as the annual report issued by the Maryland Statistical Analysis Center using the information as a training tool to foster non-discriminatory policing.
  2. Nothing in this policy shall be construed to alter or influence the authority of an agent to make an arrest, conduct a search and seizure, or otherwise fulfill an officer’s law enforcement obligations.

II. CANCELLATION

None.