Criminal Law - School Resource Officers - Prohibition on Sexual Activity with Students

School resource officers barred from sex with students

Beginning July 1, 2026, school resource officers cannot have sexual contact, vaginal intercourse, or any sexual act with students at the school where they are assigned. The law defines a school resource officer as an officer placed at a school under a written agreement with a school system, and it also includes Baltimore City school police. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 3 years in jail, a fine up to $3,000, or both. Judges may order this sentence to run at the same time as, or in addition to, sentences for related sex crimes. There is a narrow exception for a prior legal sexual relationship where the officer did not use their official position to seek consent.