650                         LAWS OF MARYLAND.                  [CH. 244

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; provided that no person shall be
appointed on the police force of Baltimore County who is
less than twenty-one nor more than thirty-five years of age,
and who shall not have been found physically and mentally
qualified to discharge the duties of a policeman by the Board
of Police Examiners of Baltimore County, and no such ap-
pointment shall be made until the applicant shall have filed
with the County Commissioners a certificate from said Board
of Police Examiners certifying that they have examined and
found that the applicant is physically and mentally qualified
for the position.

523.    The County Commissioners may at any time remove,
dismiss or discharge any officer, including the Chief or
officers of any other designation from the police service for
any offense against law or good morals, for neglect of duty,
inefficiency, physical or mental disability or breach of disci-
pline. The County Commissioners may punish any officer for
any offense by fine, not exceeding fifty dollars, or by suspen-
sion, not exceeding one month, or both fine and suspension;
or they may remove, discharge or dismiss such officer, includ-
ing the Chief or officers of any other designation or rank
on said force as aforesaid; but only after written charges and
a hearing upon due notice to the person affected, at which
hearing he shall have an opportunity to produce evidence in
his defense, and he may be represented at such hearing by
counsel, and the decision of the County Commissioners of Bal-
timore County upon any such hearing shall be final. 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 charge that may be preferred and disposi-
tions made thereof, all fines, dismissal or discharges, all con-
demnations and all public reprimands issued by the County
Commissioners and such other proceedings concerning the
police proper. The Commissioners may at any time make a
permanent reduction in the police force.

524.     There shall be a Board of Examiners for the Police
Department of Baltimore County composed of the President