Administrative Hearing Board

Administrative Hearing Board (hereinafter "AHB" or "trial board") proceedings are rooted in administrative law, not criminal law, and it is paramount that AHB members recognize that underpinning. For instance, hearing boards are not subject to the often rigid evidentiary and procedural rules that are rooted in traditional court proceedings.

Administrative Hearings are like an appeal. They are held at the request of law enforcement officers who exercise their right to contest findings and disciplinary decisions made by the Administrative Charging Committee or a law enforcement agency.
They cover countywide and local law enforcement agencies in Prince George's County.

Upcoming Hearing Boards

MPAA-PGEO-01-27670

Law Enforcement Agency: Prince George’s County Police Department Day 3
Date: January 10, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Address: 8801 Police Plaza Suite 213, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

MPAA-PGEO-01-24-32141

Law Enforcement Agency: Prince George’s County Office of the Sheriff
Date: January 14, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Address: ACC Administrative Hearing Room, 9200 Basil Court Suite 400, Largo, MD 20774

*Administrative Hearings are conducted by the designated law enforcement agency. Dates/times are subject to change. Please contact the law enforcement agency or their website to confirm hearing dates/times or inquire about attending.

Role of the Hearing Board Members

It is the duty of trial board members to consider the facts of a case without bias or prejudice and to render a decision based only on the evidence presented by the parties. It is their duty to:

Review the evidence,
Determine the credibility of the witnesses,
Resolve any conflicts that may arise during the hearing; and
Determine the weight of the evidence when rendering a final disposition for the "appeal.”

Finally, Administrative Hearing Board members should be guided by fundamental rules of fairness, equity, and due process.

Hearing Board Composition

A separate hearing board is assembled for each officer who contests findings or disciplinary decisions. As noted above, pursuant to HB670, each Administrative Hearing Board must be composed of:

An administrative law judge or retired judge from the District or Circuit Court;
An officer of equal rank as the officer requesting the hearing and
A civilian who is not a member of the Administrative Charging Committee or the Police Accountability Board

The Prince George's County Police Accountability Board is responsible for appointing one or more individuals to serve as civilian members of the AHB.

With this composition, an Administrative Hearing Board is quasi-judicial in nature. As such, it is empowered to make factual findings, decide questions of law, and make determinations of guilt or innocence based on the facts properly submitted before it.