COMAR 12.04.10.02. General Provisions

A. In order to protect the collective integrity of a law enforcement agency, all matters that may result in discipline shall be imposed pursuant to the Uniform State Disciplinary Matrix as responsive measures to a police officer’s sustained violation of a law enforcement agency’s policy.

B. Imposition of Discipline.

(1) Generally, each sustained violation of police officer misconduct shall be considered separately for the purpose of recommending and imposing discipline.

(2) When multiple sustained violations arise from the same conduct or incident, as applicable, an agency head or Administrative Charging Committee (ACC), may decide that the most effective way to determine the appropriate level of discipline in the case is to consolidate sustained violations into one form of discipline.

(3) Discipline imposed for first or subsequent sustained misconduct violations may follow a progressive course for repeat or increasingly serious violations.

(4) The Uniform State Disciplinary Matrix and the imposition of discipline may not be based on a police officer’s race, religion, gender expression, gender identity, sex assigned at birth, sexual orientation, national origin, age, ethnicity, or familial relationship.

(5) The imposition of discipline shall not be influenced by the high or low profile nature of the police misconduct.