Opinion ID: 2320291
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: General Order 11-90

Text: General Order 11-90 was published on November 7, 1990. It is titled Departmental Emergency Vehicle Operation and states in pertinent part:  POLICY Members of this Department shall operate departmental vehicles with utmost care and caution, comply with all traffic laws and SHALL NOT BECOME ENGAGED IN HIGHSPEED PURSUIT DRIVING, except under EXIGENT circumstances. Exigent circumstances consist of: Instances where the officer determines that immediate action is necessary; and Insufficient time exists to resort to other alternatives; and Failure to pursue may result in grave injury or death. The Department recognizes it is better to allow a criminal to temporarily escape apprehension than to jeopardize the safety of citizens and its officers in a high speed pursuit. General The City of Baltimore is a highly congested urban area which necessitates driving motor vehicles in a safe manner. In order for a departmental vehicle to be considered operating in an EMERGENCY MODE, BOTH ROOF MOUNTED EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND ELECTRIC SIREN MUST BE ACTIVATED. . . . RESPONSIBILITIES . . . 2. When responding to an emergency call for service (e.g., Calls for service, either reported or on view describing incidents involving personal injury or the potential for personal injury, reported to be in progress or having just occurred), and upon activating your EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND ELECTRONIC SIREN you may: . . . b. Pass a red stop signal, a stop sign, or yield sign, but only after stopping to ensure safe passage of other vehicles and pedestrians. . . . 4. When assigned as Primary and Secondary Units for dispatched calls and responding in an emergency mode: a. SLOW DOWN AT ALL INTERSECTIONS, ensure the intersection is safe to enter and then proceed cautiously. b. When crossing against any traffic control device, BRING YOUR VEHICLE TO A FULL STOP and ensure the intersection is safe to enter before proceeding. c. Ensure that your VEHICLE SPEED IS BOTH SAFE AND REASONABLE under the prevailing roadway and environmental conditions. NOTE: As an operator of an emergency vehicle you are charged with the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons. (See Transportation Article, Section 21-106d). . . . COMMUNICATION OF DIRECTIVE Commanding officers and supervisors shall communicate the contents of this directive to their subordinates and ensure compliance. This directive is effective on the date of publication. General Order 11-90. The bolding and underlining is present in the original text of the General Order, providing extra emphasis. Baltimore City Police Department General Orders are created and issued by the Baltimore City Police Commissioner pursuant to authority granted by the Code of Public Local Laws of Baltimore City. Specifically, Code of Public Local Laws of Baltimore City, § 16-7 vests the Baltimore City Police Commissioner with authority. Hart, 167 Md.App. at 114, 891 A.2d at 1138; see also Beca v. City of Baltimore, 279 Md. 177, 180-81, 367 A.2d 478, 480 (1977); Biscoe v. Baltimore City Police Dep't, 96 Md.App. 1, 7, 623 A.2d 666, 670 (1993). Code of Public Local Laws of Baltimore City, § 16-7 states in pertinent part: In directing and supervising the operations and affairs of the Department, the Commissioner shall . . ., be vested with all the powers, rights and privileges attending the responsibility of management, and may exercise the same, where appropriate, by rule, regulation, order or other departmental directive which shall be binding on all members of the Department when duly promulgated. . . . The authority herein vested in the Police Commissioner shall specifically include, but not be limited to, the following: . . . (8) To regulate attendance, conduct[] training, discipline and procedure for all members of the Department and to make all other rules, regulations and orders as may be necessary for the good government of the Department and its members. . . . (14) To suspend, amend, rescind, abrogate or cancel any rule, regulation, order or other department directive adopted by him or by any former Police Commissioner and to adopt all other reasonable rules, regulations and orders as he may deem necessary to enable the Department effectively to discharge the duties imposed upon it by this subtitle. It is evident that the Baltimore City Police Commissioner enacted General Order 11-90 pursuant to his express authority to adopt General Orders. The General Order at issue here became effective on November 7, 1990, and applies to all members of the Baltimore City Police Department (i.e., the police officer in the case sub judice ) when on duty.