requested to act by the chief executive of-
ficer of the municipality in question or its
chief police officer; (4) when ordered by
the Governor, to act within the municipality
in question; (5) when enforcing the motor
vehicle laws of this State; (6) in any build-
ing or place when ordered by the President
of the Senate and the Speaker of the House,
or either of them, to guard the safety of the
legislative process; (7) to protect the safety
of an elected State official (Code 1957,
1969 Repl, Vol., Art. 88B, sees. 3, 20, and
23; 1969 Repl. Vol., 1975 Supp., Art. 88B,
sec. 4). The State Police also enforce the
provisions of the Code relating to Con-
trolled Dangerous Substances (narcotics)
throughout the State without any limitation
as to activities within municipal corporations
or other subdivisions (Code 1957, 1976
Repl. Vol., Art. 27, sec. 298 (g)).
The State Police is directed by the Super-
intendent, who is appointed by the Gover-
nor by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate to serve at the pleasure of the
Governor. Chapter 547, Acts of 1968 also
provided for the appointment of a Deputy
Superintendent, who is designated by the
Superintendent, with the approval of the
Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional
Services, to serve in this capacity (Code
1957, 1969 Repl. Vol., Art. 88B, sees. 14
and 16).
The Investigation Division of the State
Police has the responsibility to conduct re-
quested criminal investigations which occur
anywhere within the State of Maryland. This
responsibility includes, but is not limited to,
the detection and arrest of criminal of-
fenders, the recovery of lost and stolen
property, handling extradition proceedings,
and performing other investigations as di-
rected by the Superintendent of the State
Police.
The Identification Division of the State
Police maintains detailed files and records
and cooperates with other law enforcement
agencies in the exchange of information re-
lating to crimes and criminals. Laboratory
services are provided to all allied agencies
upon request and field service technicians
are available throughout the State to process |
crime and disaster scenes using the latest
in scientific equipment.
In 1976 the State Legislature created the
State Criminal Justice Information System.
This system, which is a central repository
for the collection, storage, and dissemina-
tion of criminal history record information,
functions under the operational control of
the State Police. The system compiles sta-
tistics on criminal activity throughout the
State. This compilation of criminal statistics
from all law enforcement jurisdictions is
published in the form of quarterly crime
reports for the entire State. Analysis of the
figures indicating trends and other pertinent
statistical data is accomplished by this sys-
tem (Code 1957, 1976 Suppl., Art. 27,
sees. 742-755).
The State Police is also charged with the
licensing of private detectives and security
guards (Code 1957, 1968 Repl. Vol., and
1975 Supp., Art. 56, sees. 75-92), as well
as with the registration of firearms and the
investigation, with the assistance of other
police agencies, of those persons desiring to
purchase a handgun from a registered fire-
arms dealer (Code 1957, 1976 Repl. Vol.,
Art. 27, sees. 441-448).
The Agency is charged with the responsi-
bility to investigate all applicants desiring to
wear, carry, or transport a handgun. In-
vestigations are conducted by members of
the State Police and other police agencies.
The Superintendent, after reviewing the re-
port of investigation, has the authority to
approve or disapprove the application and
either issue, or refuse to issue, an appropri-
ate permit (Code 1957, 1976 Repl. Vol.,
Art. 27, sec. 36). The Agency also operates
a voluntary firearms registration service for
those acquiring or owning firearms which
are not controlled by other statutes. The
Agency investigates and processes those per-
sons desiring to secure a special police com-
mission from the Governor (Code 1957,
1971 Repl. Vol., Art. 41, sees. 60-70).
Legislation in 1965 gave the State Police
responsibility for licensing qualified garages
and other facilities to make inspections and
corrections of equipment and mechanisms
and to certify that used motor vehicles, for |
