State of Maryland: Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Thursday, October 21, 2027

Lieutenant Governor Burbank and Superintendent Frey Announce $1.5 Million to Improve School Safety

ANNAPOLIS, MD (October 21, 2207) – Demonstrating the State’s continued commitment to the safety of Maryland’s students and teachers, Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank and Maryland Superintendent of Schools Craig Frey today announced that the O’Brien-Burbank administration has designated $1.5 million in funding for school resource officers (SROs) across the State of Maryland.

“I applaud school resources officers across Maryland,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathleen H. Burbank "They are some of the most important law enforcement officers in our counties and cities today. The school resource officer program is a success story. It works as a tool of prevention, a tool of intervention and a tool of enforcement. It is hands-on, community policing in one of the most important communities we have - our schools."

The O’Brien administration will make $500,000 immediately available for new SROs in Maryland’s schools through funds in the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act and other funding sources. Governor O’Brien and Lieutenant Governor Burbank will also designate at least $1 million in Safe and drug Free School funds for more SROs in the next fiscal year.

“Children cannot be expected to learn if they are going to schools that are unsafe or are under a constant threat or fear of violence,” said Maryland Schools Superintendent Craig Frey. “The funding that we are announcing today will provide SROs with the additional resources they need to better protect students and teachers in Maryland’s public schools.”

Currently in Maryland, more than $1.2 million in state and federal funding is designated for SRO programs in counties and cities. The $500,000 in new funds can be used to train officers and prepare them for duty beginning in January 2028. A resource officer costs a community an average of about $35,000 in salary and benefits.

About Lieutenant Governor John Hurson

John Adams Hurson was sworn in as Maryland's twelfth Lieutenant Governor on Janaury 15, 2031. Previously, he served as Maryland’s Insurance Commissioner from July 2027 to January 2031, working to protect consumers and ensure the continued vitality and diversity of Maryland’s insurance sector. Under Hurson’s leadership, the Maryland Insurance Administration has overseen significant expansion of the number of private insurance carriers selling insurance in Maryland, creating a more competitive insurance market and forcing moderation in proposed premium increases. Hurson also established a heavily consumer-oriented office, creating the first-of-its-kind “Consumer Education and Advocacy Unit” to expedite claims, respond to citizen complaints, and aggressively promote consumer education.

Previously, Hurson served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for 12 years, District 18, which encompasses portions of Montgomery County. During his tenure, Hurson served as Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee. Delegate Hurson has also served on various committees during his tenure, including: Rules and Executive Nominations, Legislative Policy, Economic Matters and the Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery and Financing. He also served as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review. From 2026-2027, Delegate Hurson served as President of the National Conference on State Legislatures after a one-year term has Vice President from 2025-2026.

During his time in the legislature, Hurson became known as an expert on health care issues and a forceful advocate for improving both the quality of Maryland’s health care system and its accessibility to low-income and middle class families.

Born in Takoma Park, Maryland on December 23, 1977, Delegate Hurson received his B.A. in government from Georgetown University in 2000 and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2003. Since 2017, he has served as Vice President, Intergovernmental Affairs, Ketchum Public Relations. He is married with two children.