432                              LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 203

and examination papers of each applicant for promotional appoint-
ment shall be open to his inspection.

(A)    THE EXAMINING AUTHORITY SHALL ASCERTAIN
THE RELATIVE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ALL CANDIDATES
FOR APPOINTMENT AT THE ENTRANCE LEVEL TO THE
DEPARTMENT AND FOR PROMOTIONAL APPOINTMENT
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT BY COMPETITIVE EXAMINA-
TIONS AND SUCH OTHER TESTS AS IN ITS JUDGMENT MAY
BE NECESSARY. THE EXAMINATIONS SHALL BE PUBLIC
AND OF SUCH CHARACTER AS TO TEST FAIRLY THE REL-
ATIVE CAPACITY AND FITNESS OF THE CANDIDATES TO
DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE POSITION FOR WHICH
THEY ARE SEEKING TO QUALIFY. IN PREPARING SAID
EXAMINATIONS THE EXAMINING AUTHORITY SHALL CON-
SULT WITH AND MAY BE GUIDED BY A NATIONALLY REC-
OGNIZED POLICE AGENCY OR STUDY TESTING GROUP AS
DESIGNATED BY THE POLICE COMMISSIONER. THE EXAM-
INING AUTHORITY SHALL PREPARE GRADED LISTS OF
QUALIFIED CANDIDATES DETERMINED FROM THE WRIT-
TEN EXAMINATIONS AND OTHER TESTS ESTABLISHED
BY THE EXAMINING AUTHORITY.

(B)    APPOINTMENTS AT THE ENTRANCE LEVEL. THOSE
APPLICANTS FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT
AT THE ENTRANCE LEVEL WHO POSSESS THE MINIMUM
QUALIFICATIONS AND MEET THE OTHER ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSIONER AFTER
CONSULTATION WITH EXAMINING AUTHORITY, AS
DETERMINED BY THE TESTS AND PROCEDURES AD-
MINISTERED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (A) SHALL BE
INCLUDED ON AN ELIGIBLE LIST PREPARED BY THE EX-
AMINING AUTHORITY SETTING FORTH THE NAMES OF THE
SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS LISTED IN ORDER FROM THE
HIGHEST TO LOWEST QUALIFYING SCORE. WHEN MAKING
APPOINTMENTS TO THE DEPARTMENT, THE COMMISSION-
ER SHALL BE REQUIRED TO MAKE SUCH APPOINTMENT
FROM THOSE APPLICANTS WHO PLACE WITHIN THE TOP
OR HIGHEST FIVE POSITIONS ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST.
WHEN AN APPLICANT IS SO APPOINTED, THE COMMIS-
SIONER SHALL BE REQUIRED TO FILL THE NEXT VACANCY
IN THE DEPARTMENT, IF ANY, FROM A LIST OF APPLI-
CANTS COMPOSED OF THE REMAINING AND AVAILABLE
FOUR HIGHEST CANDIDATES ON SUCH LIST, PLUS THE
NEXT OR SIXTH HIGHEST SCORING AVAILABLE APPLI-
CANT APPEARING ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST. THE PROCE-
DURE HEREIN ESTABLISHED FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE
DEPARTMENT SHALL BE KNOWN AND DESIGNATED AS
THE "RULE OF FIVE" AND ALL SUBSEQUENT APPOINT-
MENTS SHALL BE MADE ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS
PROCEDURE UNTIL THE ELIGIBLE LIST IS EXHAUSTED
BY SUCH APPOINTMENTS. NO SUCH LIST, OR WHERE THE
LIST CONSISTS OF A COMBINATION OF MORE THAN ONE
ELIGIBLE LIST, NO PART OF SUCH LIST, SHALL CONTINUE
IN FORCE FOR LONGER THAN ONE YEAR, UNLESS
EXTENDED UPON REQUEST OF THE COMMISSIONER
BY THE EXAMINING AUTHORITY, BUT IN NO EVENT