ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

DEPARTMENT OF LAW

The Department of Law serves as legal advisor to the County Executive, and departments, agencies, and officers of the Harford County Executive Branch. Headed by the County Attorney, the Department of Law is responsible for prosecuting and defending all civil suits and administrative hearings involving the County, its officers, or employees (County Charter, Art. IV, sec. 403).

POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD

General Assembly

Chapter 59, Acts of 2021

The Police Accountability Board receives complaints of police misconduct filed by members of the public. On a quarterly basis, the Board meets with heads of law enforcement agencies, and works with those agencies and County government to improve County policing.

Legal mandates providing for the Board also authorized Charging Committees and Trial Boards, whose civilian members are appointed by the Police Accountability Board. On a quarterly basis, the Board reviews disciplinary matters considered by Charging Committees.

Originally appointed by the County Council, since October 2025, the County Executive with County Council consent now appoints the Police Accountability Board's five members (CB-25-010). Their terms are coterminous with the County Executive. With County Council consent, the County Executive names the Chair (Code Public Safety Article, secs. 3-102 through 3-104; County Code art. 22, 9-136).

ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE

Meeting at least monthly, the Committee reviews the findings of each law enforcement agency’s investigation of police misconduct complaints forwarded by the agency to the Committee. From information related to the investigation, the Committee makes determinations and recommendations. It may review body camera footage, call a police officer before the Committee, determine if a police officer should be charged administratively, or recommend discipline. The Committee may submit written opinions to the director of the law enforcement agency, and to the accused police officer, the complainant, and the Police Accountability Board.

Five members constitute the Committee. Two are appointed to two-year terms by the County Executive, and two by the Police Accountability Board. One member serves ex officio. Annually, the Chair is chosen by the Committee (Code Public Safety Article, secs. 3-102 through 3-104; County Code art. 22A, 9-139).

PUBLIC DEFENDER

For indigent defendants in Harford County, the District Public Defender provides legal representation, including related necessary services and facilities. The District Public Defender assures effective assistance and continuity of counsel to indigent accused taken into custody and indigent defendants in criminal and juvenile proceedings before Maryland courts (Code Criminal Procedure Article, secs. 16-201 through 16-213).

STATE'S ATTORNEY

Starting in 1818, duties of the State's Attorney were first carried out by the District Attorney (Chapter 146, Acts of 1817). Appointed by the Governor in each judicial district, the District Attorney prosecuted cases on behalf of the State. By 1821, the District Attorney was renamed the Deputy Attorney and was appointed by the Attorney General (Chapter 126, Acts of 1821). The office of State's Attorney was first authorized in 1851 (Constitution of 1851, Art. V, secs. 1-5).

The State's Attorney prosecutes and defends, on the part of the State, all criminal cases in Harford County in which the State may be interested (Code Criminal Procedure Article, secs. 15-101 through 15-109, 15-413).

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FATALITY REVIEW TEAM

The Team seeks to develop an understanding of the causes and incidences of deaths related to domestic violence in the county; and develop plans for and recommend changes within those agencies that members represent (Chapter 233, Acts of 2005; Code Family Law Article, secs. 4-701 through 4-707).

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