2082                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 896

plication blanks upon which each applicant shall set forth in his own
handwriting, his full name, age, place of birth, his occupation for
the five (5) years preceding his application, and such other informa-
tion as the said [Board] Commissioner may require, touching the
merits and fitness of the applicant; such application shall be signed
by the applicant and shall contain the affidavit of the applicant,
executed before a Notary Public of the State of Maryland, that the
information set forth in said application is true and correct, such
application shall further contain certificates executed by not less
than four (4) reputable citizens who are owners of real estate in
Anne Arundel County, that they have known the applicant for not
less than three (3) years and that his character, reputation, and
habits are such as recommend and qualify him for duty as a police
officer, and that he is in all respects fit and qualified for such duty;
provided, however, that no person shall be appointed on the Anne
Arundel County Police Force who is less than twenty-one (21) or
more than thirty-five (35) years of age, nor until such applicant
shall have filed with the [Chief of Police of Anne Arundel County]
Police Commissioner, a certificate from the [Board of Police Ex-
aminers of Anne Arundel County, that they have] Police Physician
that he has examined the applicant and found that said applicant
is physically and mentally qualified to perform and discharge the
duties of a police officer. [Provided, however, that the requirements
of this section shall not apply to the appointment of a Chief of
Police.] All appointments shall be subject to one year's probation and
at the end of such period the Police Commissioner shall determine
the fitness of the applicant for continued duty as a member of the
Police Force.

16-15.

The [Chief of Police] Police Commissioner shall make all promo-
tions within said department FORCE [, subject to the approval of
the Board of Police Examiners]. All promotions shall be made from
personnel within the Department and no person shall be promoted to
any rank, grade or position unless he shall have filled the rank, grade
or position inferior to the rank, grade or position to which he shall be
promoted. It shall be the duty of the [Board of Police Examiners]
Police Commissioner to ascertain by appropriate investigation and
examination the qualifications of all candidates for promotion. Ex-
aminations may be written or oral or in the form of a demonstration
of skill or any combination of these and shall be of a character fairly
to test and determine the relative fitness and ability of the candidates
actually to perform the duties of the positions to which they seek.
Any investigation of training and experience and any tests of
technical knowledge, manual skill, or physical fitness, that in the
judgment of the [Board] Commissioner serves to this end may be
employed.

The members of the Anne Arundel County Police Force in office
on June 1, 1959, shall continue to hold office until removed or retired
in accordance with this sub-title.

16-21.

[(a)] The [Chief of Police] Commissioner of Police may in his
discretion, suspend without pay, remove, demiss, demote or dis-
charge any member of the police force for any offense against law
or good morals, for neglect of duty, inefficiency, physical or mental