$395M proposed for Prince George’s County Police Department in FY24, with focus on recruitment and continued accountability measures.
The Prince George’s County Council will soon vote on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2024, and will have an opportunity to consider valuable additions to public safety funding. As proposed, public safety spending would constitute 19.7% of total general fund expenditures at $889M, which accounts for a 7.5% year over year increase. Objectives were outlined in four major areas:
This budget maintains our proven strategy of a prioritized focus on education, providing safe neighborhoods, economic development and improving the quality of life for County residents.
The police department specifically would see $395M of the general fund for an increase of $23.2M, up 6.2% from the previous year. Beyond operational costs, recruitment initiatives are a major priority with additional funding for 4 new recruiting classes and an earmark of $640,000 in incentives and bonuses for new officers. Funding also bumps up to cover continuing implementation costs associated with the Police Accountability Act of 2021, specifically more money for body-worn cameras and mental health assessments.
From the proposal:
Prince George’s County remains committed to providing safe communities for citizens, residents and visitors. The FY 2024 budget supports various crime prevention reduction initiatives, technology to improve responsiveness and safety and recruit classes to maintain our sworn ranks