JOHN WALTER SMITH, ESQ., GOVERNOR.

641

CHAPTER 428.
AN ACT to add two additional Sections to Article 3 of the
Code of Public Local Lawe, title "Baltimore County," to
follow immediately after Section 174 of said Article, sub-
title "Police and Police Stations," and to be known as Sec-
tions 174 A and 174 B.

CHAP. 428.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That two additional sections be, and the same
hereby are added to Article 3, Code of Public Local Laws,
title "Baltimore County," to follow section 174 of said Article,
and to be known as sections 174 A and 174 B.

New sections
added.

174 A.. All appointments hereafter made to the police force
of Baltimore county shall be made from the qualified voters
thereof, and all applications for such appointments shall be
made upon printed blanks to be furnished free of charge by
the County Commissioners, wherein the applicant shall set
forth in his own handwriting his full name and age, the place
and State of his birth, his occupation for two years preceding
his application, and such other information as the commis-
sioners may require touching the merit and fitness of the
applicant for the position for which he applies ; such applica-
tion shall be signed by the applicant, with his affidavit that
the facts therein set forth are true to the best of his knowledge
and belief, and shall contain blanks to be filled in by four
reputable citizens of said county, certifying that the applicant
is known to them for not less than one year, and in character
and habits, to the best of their knowledge and belief is in all
respects fit for the service which he wishes to enter. All
appointments shall be hereafter made from applications filed
not less than one month or more than two years previous to
such appointment; such appointee shall not be less than
twenty-one nor more than forty-five years of age ; all officers
shall be retired from service at an age not exceeding fifty-
eight years.

How appoint-
ments shall
be made.

174 B. The County Commissioners may at any time remove
any officer from police service for any offense against law or
good morals, for neglect of duty, inefficiency, physical or
mental disability or breach of discipline ; provided, the charge
or reason for which such removal may be made is first reduced
to writing ; and after due notice given such officer, he shall
be given a hearing before the commissioners on written charge
or reason for removal, with opportunity to produce evidence
in his own defense ; counsel may be heard only in the discre-
tion of the commissioners, whose decision of the case shall be
final ; police officers after appointment shall serve until removal

41

May remove
officers for
neglect of
duty.