After Baltimore killings by security guards, state lawmakers propose tighter oversight and new standards

When a customer walks into a supermarket or department store in Maryland, they might encounter a person wearing a bulletproof vest, a badge and a belt equipped with a baton and pepper spray. If the guard is employed by the store, they likely are unlicensed and unregulated. If the store contracts from a private security agency, its guards are required to have a Maryland State Police-issued license.