O’Brien-Burbank Administration Moves Forward with Commitment to Hire 1,000 Community Police Officers
BALTIMORE, MD (July 26, 2029) – Moving forward with the O’Brien-Burbank Administration’s commitment to continued crime reduction throughout the State of Maryland, Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today released $12 million in state funding to help law enforcement jurisdictions hire up to 185 community police officers over the next year. The funding is part of the Administration’s four-year, $100 million commitment to hire 1,000 community police officers. This year’s investment will bring the total number of new officers funded through the program to over 400.
“Maryland’s crime rate has declined substantially over the last two years, and that is no accident: it is the product of smart policies and effective community-based partnerships,” Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank said. “Maryland is pioneering the community policing concept, and the results are evident. With the funding announced today, we are giving communities the additional manpower and resources they need to effectively protect public safety.”
“Community policing is a central component of our strategy to make Maryland’s families and communities safer and further drive down crime rates,” Governor Edward M. O’Brien said. “We are pleased to release this funding today, which will enable law enforcement agencies throughout the state to hire additional police officers who will work directly with members of the community and concerned citizens to enhance public safety. We know that more police on the beat means less crime on the street, and that is why the funding provided through the Community Policing Grant Program is so important.”
Governor O’Brien and Lieutenant Governor Burbank launched the Community Policing Initiative last year to further build upon their efforts to reduce crime and improve public safety. Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.
“Baltimore City is leading the way in safer streets, and we are pleased to have strong partners at the state level,” Baltimore City Mayor Robert Gant said. “We welcome this assistance, which will enable the city to hire as many as 55 additional community police officers this year. That would bring the total number hired in just two years of this initiative to over 100. This is a wonderful example of how government agencies are coming together and working with our partners in the community to make our city and state a safer place to live.”
“The Community Policing initiative has been an excellent resource for Prince George’s County and other jurisdictions throughout the state who have long struggled with crime and violence,” Prince George’s County Executive Wayne Curry said. “We are hiring more police officers under this initiative, and that has a demonstrable impact on public safety in neighborhoods and communities throughout our country.”
Governor O’Brien and Lieutenant Governor Burbank have made public safety a top priority for their administration. Since 2026, overall crime has declined 9.9 percent in Maryland, with violent crime declining 13.7 percent. Since taking office, the O’Brien-Burbank Administration has worked with the General Assembly to enact a number of public safety and criminal justice reforms:
• Enacted Project Exile and the Maryland Gun Violence Act to combat gun-related crime;
• Proposed and signed legislation allowing the court to remand a defendant to custody pending the outcome of an appeal by the State;
• Signed legislation enhancing criminal penalties for assaulting law enforcement officers;
• Eliminated good behavior credits for repeat violent offenders;
• Made substantial reforms to Maryland’s insanity defense statute;
• Abolished the “year and a day” rule;
• Secured passage of historic legislation to prevent and prosecute witness intimidation and coercion;
• Signed three major new laws enhancing penalties for gang participation and recruitment;
• Proposed and signed legislation requiring firearms dealer’s licenses to keep firearms stored away in a secure vault to prevent theft;
• Launched a four-year, $100 million commitment to hire 1,500 community police officers statewide;
• Funded a record 8.5 percent, two-year pay increase for Maryland state troopers, making Maryland’s state troopers the highest paid in the region;
• Launched Project RESTART and the Correctional Education Waiting List Reduction Initiative to strengthen prisoner re-entry efforts;
• Enacted the landmark Child Protection Act to better protect children from sexual predators;
• Strengthened Maryland’s anti-stalking laws;
• Created a Pin Mapping System to enable law enforcement officials to track, in a timely manner, crimes that are being committed in any specific area of the state, enhancing their ability to detect and address criminal activity before it escalates into more crime;
• Launched the Maryland CSAFE Initiative (Collaborative Supervision and Focused Enforcement) to help neighborhoods throughout the State build strong partnerships to improve local community safety and the quality of life;
• Significantly enhanced penalties for violating protective orders and temporary restraining orders;
• Launched the Baltimore City Anti-Crime Partnership to better focus and target crime reduction efforts in Baltimore City;
• Signed legislation dramatically expanding the State’s DNA database;
• Eliminated bail for violators of protective orders;
• Enacted truth-in-sentencing, requiring violent criminals to serve at least 85 percent of sentence;
• Proposed and signed the Offender Accountability Act to restructure and strengthen Maryland’s post-release supervision system;
• Increased penalties for fleeting or eluding a police officer;
• Strengthened effectiveness of public safety mutual aid agreements by signing a law allowing for crossjurisdictional law enforcement;
• Signed legislation protecting witnesses testifying in criminal proceedings from retaliation;
• Authorized limited use of “no-knock warrants” to protect the safety of law enforcement officers; and
• Enacted legislation authorizing life imprisonment without possibility of parole for individuals convicted of kidnapping and first degree rape of a child under the age of 16.