State training requirements
Maryland Peace Officer Training Requirements
Who governs peace officer standards in Maryland, the annual in-service requirement, the mandated topics for de-escalation and crisis response, and who decides what counts for in-service credit.
Verified as of July 10, 2026
Who governs
Peace officer standards and training in Maryland are set by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission (MPTSC).
Annual in-service requirement
Maryland requires a minimum of 18 hours of Commission-approved in-service each calendar year for officers at or below first-line supervisor. The Commission accepts only successful completion of Commission-approved training toward the requirement. An annual firearms training and qualification per authorized firearm is separate. Beginning 2004 and every third year, a special in-service on sexual crimes and child exploitation, victims' contact and treatment, and victims' rights is required. Missed hours roll forward.
Mandated topics relevant to CodeBlu
Sexual crimes and victims' rights
A special in-service on sexual crimes and child exploitation, victims' contact and treatment, and victims' rights is a triennial recurring block, beginning 2004 and every third year.
Source: COMAR 12.04.01.12(A)(7)
De-escalation and crisis intervention
De-escalation and crisis intervention should be verified against the current post-2021-Act mandated topics; they are not confirmed as a fixed recurring hour block in the retrieved 12.04.01.12.
Source: COMAR 12.04.01.12
Who decides in-service credit
Centralized approval
Only Commission-approved training counts, delivered by Commission-certified instructors. Agencies may send officers to approved programs hosted by other agencies without prior approval if the program carries a Commission-assigned program number. Independent electronic instruction, meaning self-paced e-learning without immediate instructor supervision, may be approved for in-service credit.
Source: COMAR 12.04.01.12(A)(2) to (4)
What this means for training like CodeBlu
In Maryland, in-service courses are certified or approved centrally through Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission (MPTSC), so credit does not rest with an individual agency alone. The honest framing for training like CodeBlu is professional development that builds the underlying skills; any formal credit path runs through the state's approval process. This is not a determination of eligibility: CodeBlu does not certify hours or grant credit, and agency policy, the state's process, and legal counsel govern.
Primary sources
- POST-equivalent siteMaryland Police Training and Standards Commission (official site)
- Administrative codeCOMAR 12.04.01.12 (in-service training)
- Administrative codeCOMAR 12.04.01.12 (LII mirror)
- POST-equivalent siteMPTSC General Regulations (Chapter 01)
Verified as of July 10, 2026. This page is reviewed on an annual cadence, and the date is bumped only on re-verification against the primary sources above.
Frequently asked questions
- Who sets peace officer training requirements in Maryland?
- Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission (MPTSC) sets peace officer standards and training requirements in Maryland.
- How many annual in-service training hours does Maryland require?
- Maryland requires a minimum of 18 hours of Commission-approved in-service each calendar year for officers at or below first-line supervisor. The Commission accepts only successful completion of Commission-approved training toward the requirement. An annual firearms training and qualification per authorized firearm is separate. Beginning 2004 and every third year, a special in-service on sexual crimes and child exploitation, victims' contact and treatment, and victims' rights is required. Missed hours roll forward.
- Who decides what training counts for in-service credit in Maryland?
- Only Commission-approved training counts, delivered by Commission-certified instructors. Agencies may send officers to approved programs hosted by other agencies without prior approval if the program carries a Commission-assigned program number. Independent electronic instruction, meaning self-paced e-learning without immediate instructor supervision, may be approved for in-service credit.