286 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 134

SEC. 412. That the County Commissioners may at any time
in their judgment and discretion, remove, dismiss or discharge
any officer (including the marshal or officers of any other des-
ignation or rank on said force) from the police service for any
offence against law or good morals, for neglect of duty, in-
efficiency, physical or mental disability or breach of discipline
or for the betterment of the service. The County Commission-
ers may punish any officer for any offense by fine, not exceed-
ing fifty dollars, or by suspension; or they may remove, dis-
charge or dismiss said officer, including the marshal or officers
of any other designation or rank on said force as aforesaid
Provided that before the punishment, removal or dismissal of
such officer, the charge or reason for such action must be re-
duced to writing, and due notice given the officer by serving
him with a copy of the same, and that he shall be given a hear-
ing before the Commissioners on said written charges, with op-
portunity to produce evidence and employ counsel in his own
defense. The Commissioners shall cause to be kept in their
office a minute book or books of county police in which shall be
recorded a list of all applications and date of appointment of
all officers of the force, any charges that may be preferred and
dispositions made thereof, all fines, suspensions, death, resig-
nations, removal, dismissal or discharges, all condemnations and
all public reprimands issued by the County Commissioners and
such other proceedings concerning the police force as the Com-
missioners may deem necessary and proper. The Commission-
ers may at any time make a permanent reduction in the police
force.

Approved April 10th, 1918.

CHAPTER 134.

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact with amendments Section 97G
or Article 21 of the Code of Public Local Laws of the State of
Maryland, title "Talbot County", sub-title "Easton", as en-
acted by Chapter 458 of the Acts of the General Assembly
of Maryland of 1906.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That Section 97G of Article 21 of the Code of Public-
Local Laws of the State of Maryland, title "Talbot County",
sub-title "Easton", as enacted by Chapter 458 of the Acts of