Public Safety - Police Accountability - Investigation Records Relating to Unfounded and Exonerated Complaints

SB 625 requires Maryland police departments to remove investigation records related to unfounded or exonerated misconduct complaints from an officer’s personnel file three years after an administrative committee or trial board issues that finding. It directly affects police officers whose complaints are dismissed as factually unsupported ("unfounded") or determined to be lawful ("exonerated"). The bill amends Maryland’s public safety laws to mandate this removal, specifying that such records - covering internal investigations, hearings, or disciplinary decisions - must be deleted from personnel files after the 3-year period. This change applies only to complaints resulting in "unfounded" or "exonerated" findings, not all complaint records. The law takes effect October 1, 2025.