![[photo, County Office Building, 220 South Main St., Bel Air, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/36loc/ha/images/1198-1-08196b.jpg)
Today, the County Council consists of seven members. They are elected by district to four-year terms by the voters. The Council President is elected countywide by the voters to a four-year term, while the Council Vice-President is chosen by the Council annually from among its members (Code Local Government Article, sec. 1-101; County Charter, secs. 201 through 224; County Code, secs. 4-01 through 4-27).
County Office Building, 220 South Main St., Bel Air, Maryland, August 2017. Photo courtesy of Harford County Government.
Appointed by the County Council, the Board consists of six members two of whom serve ex officio (County Code, sec. 9-103.1).
BUDGET ADVISORY BOARD
Appointed by the County Council, the Budget Advisory Board is a seven-member body that advises the County Council regarding the annual budget.
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD
Effective July 1, 2022, the General Assembly required each Maryland county to have a Police Accountability Board (Chapter 59, Acts of 2021). In Harford County, the County Council at the request of the County Executive established the Police Accountability Board in June 2022 (Bill no. 2022-018).
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.
Appointed by the County Executive with County Council consent, the Police Accountability Board consists of five members, whose terms are coterminous with the County Executive. With County Council consent, the County Executive chooses the Chair (Code Public Safety Article, secs. 3-102 through 3-104; County Code art. 22, 9-136).
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).
HARFORDTV
The main purpose of HarfordTV is to educate and inform County residents, and promote a sense of community among them.
The Board coordinates the affairs of HarfordTV, and promotes programming of interest to Harford County citizens.
Appointed by the County Council, the Board has a minimum of fifteen members. Except for the representatives of each cable franchise serving Harford County, Board members must be County residents (County Code, Article XXVIIA, secs. 9-176.1 through 9-176.4).
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As a public-access multi-use channel run by the County Council, HarfordTV began as the Harford Cable Network, which was operating by November 1984. The Network was renamed HarfordTV by the County Council in November 2021 (Bill no. 21-017).
HARFORDTV ADVISORY BOARD
In November 1984, the Harford Cable Network Board was established by the County Council as a Council agency. In November 2021 it was renamed the HarfordTV Advisory Board (Bill no. 21-017).
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