Public Safety and Corrections Archives

Baltimore City Proposal Seeks Changes to Inspector General Oversight and Public Records Access

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has announced a multi-step legislative proposal to restructure how the City’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) accesses information, conducts oversight, and interacts with existing public records laws. The proposal comes amid ongoing public discussion and litigation surrounding Baltimore’s OIG and broader questions about transparency, investigatory authority, and accountability structures in local government. According to the City, the package is intended to “strengthen residents’ trust in City government” while clarifying oversight…

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May 21, 2026

Health and Human Services / Public Safety and Corrections

Report Highlights Prevalence of Mental and Behavioral Health Related Calls for Service

Public safety officials are being called on to respond to mental and behavioral health crisis situations by the thousands every year, highlighting a need for continued investment in community-wide resources and training. Earlier this year, the Office of the Attorney General released the annual report from the Independent Investigations Division (IID) that investigates officer involved fatalities in Maryland. A section of the report specifically explored how often a call for service is directly related to…

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May 13, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Education / Public Safety and Corrections

Anne Arundel Proposes FY27 Budget Focused on Education, Public Safety, and Core Services

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman has released a proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget that continues investments in education, public safety, and essential services, while maintaining relatively stable tax rates. As counties across Maryland continue to navigate rising costs, education funding requirements, and evolving service demands, the proposal offers a snapshot of how one jurisdiction is balancing competing priorities. The County Council will now begin its review of the proposal, with public hearings scheduled later…

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May 7, 2026

County News / Public Safety and Corrections

Baltimore County Moves To Strengthen Animal Welfare Laws

Baltimore County is proposing a broad update to its animal welfare laws, with new legislation aimed at strengthening protections for animals, improving enforcement, and creating a clearer framework for public safety. The three-bill package, introduced by the Klausmeier Administration, would update county code in several areas, including basic standards of care, shelter case processing, and dangerous animal classifications. Taken together, the bills reflect a local government effort to modernize how animal welfare and public safety…

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April 30, 2026

Emergency Management / NACo and Federal Issues / Public Safety and Corrections

US House Advances FirstNet Reauthorization for Public Safety Network

The US House of Representatives passed H.R. 7386, the First Responder Network Reauthorization Act of 2026, on April 20 by voice vote with no opposition. The bill previously advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee in March on a unanimous, bipartisan vote and now heads to the US Senate. The legislation reauthorizes the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), the nationwide public safety broadband network dedicated to first responders. Why it matters FirstNet was…

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April 29, 2026

Public Safety and Corrections

Prince George’s Police Department Leads the Way In Modernizing Recruitment Practices

Amidst a nationwide shortage of public safety officials, Prince George's adopts new hiring strategy to modernize and streamline recruitment of quality candidates into the county police department. Following a recent hiring blitz, the Prince George's County Police Department has made 98 conditional offers of employment. The April 18 hiring fair, organized by the Prince George’s County Police Department, was designed to compress what is traditionally a months-long recruitment pipeline into a single, highly structured day.…

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April 27, 2026

Public Safety and Corrections

Juvenile Detention Changes Coming for Local Detention Centers

Maryland General Assembly sets 2029 deadline for prohibition on housing juveniles in adult detention facilities, including local county detention centers, bringing significant relief from operations and liability challenges for local governments. After a number of attempts, the Maryland General Assembly has moved forward with provisions that effectively bar the long term holding or housing of juveniles in adult detention centers. The provisions passed during the 2026 legislative session on SB 323, which was initially a…

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April 27, 2026

County News / Economic Development / Public Safety and Corrections / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues

Anne Arundel Maintains Triple-A Bond Rating

Anne Arundel County has once again earned a Triple-A bond rating from all three major credit rating agencies, marking the fourth consecutive year the county has received the highest possible designation. The ratings were reaffirmed by Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Ratings, and S&P Global Ratings, placing Anne Arundel among a small group of counties nationwide (roughly 1.5%) to hold top-tier ratings across all three agencies. From the press release: “Since the beginning of my administration, we…

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April 23, 2026

Higher Education / Public Safety and Corrections

Detention Center Officers Included in Higher Education Scholarship Fund

With bi-partisan support in both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly, a bill expanding existing public safety scholarships to include correctional officers will take effect this summer with the application process beginning January 2027. This year - with the unwavering support of Senator Mary Beth Carozza and Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes - officers working in local detention centers will now have access to an existing public safety scholarship fund for higher education. HB 852/SB 285 –…

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April 22, 2026

County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Public Safety and Corrections / School Construction and Capital Budgets / Taxes and Revenues

Baltimore County Unveils $5B Budget Focused on Public Safety, Schools, and Affordability

Baltimore County has released its proposed $5 billion Fiscal Year 2027 budget, outlining a spending plan centered on public safety, education, infrastructure, and cost-of-living pressures, all without raising taxes. The proposal reflects an effort to balance continued investment in core services with maintaining the county’s strong financial standing, including its Triple-A bond rating. Core Priorities: The FY2027 proposal directs funding toward several areas that residents are most likely to see directly, including: public safety and…

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April 21, 2026