The Allegany County Sheriff's Office: Growth Plan

In this article I'll share my perspective of essential actions that must be taken for the future efficacy of the agency and protection of the citizens of Allegany County.

This article would be deficient without first acknowledging the incredible professionalism and skill level of the deputies I have served with. Night shift, E2 squad, was my home for a few years. There are more times than I can count that we wouldn't have made it out alive if it weren't for the selfless actions of our squad mates and Sergeant. Win, lose or draw in this election, many of these men will be my brothers for life. Bonded in challenge, strengthened in adversity, and victorious in unity, there is no career like law enforcement.

With all the great experiences in the Allegany County Sheriff's Office, there are some things that I deem necessary to adjust and improve. Not only for the efficiency of the agency, but for accountability, transparency, community integration, and legal protection. The Sheriff's Office has been the pride of the county for generations, and I will make certain we are ready for the future. Below, I'll detail some of the main points I intend to address, and the reasons for doing so.

Recruitment, Training, & Standards:

Many police agencies struggle with recruitment and retention of high-level operators. Adjustments to the passive hiring model will greatly increase our chances of continuing to hire the best of the best. Rewarding proactive work will retain them. Our citizens deserve the highest level of protection possible.

The Maryland Police & Correctional Training Commission (MPCTC) dictates the minimum training hours deputies must have monthly and annually. A significant portion of these trainings are basic PowerPoint presentations and online training modules that "check the box" but are inadequate, considering the complex nature of this career field. In addition to these strictly informational trainings, practical hands-on training above the minimum standards will bolster the strength of an already strong department.

State-wide fitness standards are also in place but require almost zero physical ability beyond basic functions. These bare minimum standards set by the state create too many risks: unnecessary force, injuries on the job, early onset of preventable health complications, and increased insurance and worker's compensation costs. Raising the standard of physical fitness required to be an active patrol deputy is an absolute necessity because it will increase the quality of services rendered and save the taxpayers money in the long run.

Supervision, Patrol, and Manpower:

The Sheriff's Office has a broad scope of responsibilities with which it has been entrusted. A closer examination of the use of available manpower is essential to protecting our brave deputies. Patrolling 430 square miles at night and safeguarding over 60,000 residents is not safe with just 2 deputies on duty as the minimum operating standard. I can personally recall multiple incidents when I and other deputies were forced to engage in dangerous physical confrontations with no available backup nearby. Our brave men and women deserve a strategic restructuring of manpower deployment to diminish the possibility of them fighting for their life alone, with the only available backup coming from 30+ minutes away.

Our concurrent jurisdiction agencies, Maryland State Police, DNR, and Frostburg and Cumberland PD all do incredibly amazing jobs. Their contributions enable the Sheriff's Office to have a lower volume of calls for service than would be possible without them. I see this as an opportunity to encourage proactive patrols and targeted enforcement of areas with known criminal activity, road dangers, and issues brought to our attention by citizen complaints. Deputies will not spend large portions of time "waiting" for a call but will be actively patrolling and observant of every area of our county, including the far reaching and sometimes forgotten places.

Performance & Promotions:

Job performance reviews must be thoroughly conducted semi-annually and annually with an expanded scope of consideration beyond basic job requirements. Physical fitness, proactive policing, community involvement, and volunteering for the betterment of our county will all be evaluated, following the military's proven Enlisted Performance Review model. This puts the onus of personal career advancement in the purview of individual deputies according to established standards and eliminates obscurity around promotions and special assignments.

The deputies have continuously lobbied for standardized promotion processes to avoid claims and grievances of favoritism or unfairness. I will work with the FOP to ensure their voice is heard, and that every deputy has the same fair chance to advance their career solely based on their leadership skill, job knowledge, merit and contributions to the community. People instinctively follow natural leaders, and they aren't always the people chosen by management. Everyone familiar with any job hierarchy has experienced this. By facilitating the deputies' ability to develop their leadership from within, the agency will thrive with enhanced unit cohesion, increased morale, and will result in a higher level of service rendered to the public.

Policy:

Policy manuals are an essential part of the job and legally binding. They must be audited and amended for modernization and compliance with updated legislation and case law.

Additionally, purpose driven policies to specifically protect our citizens' constitutional rights are essential.

This will protect both the agency and the citizens.

Finances:

The Sheriff's Office has a massive operating scale over many facets of public safety, courts, and corrections. Public safety accounts for a major portion of Allegany County's operating budget. The county budget has a compliance audit available on its website, but an internal allocation audit of how your tax dollars are being used by the Sheriff Office's must be accomplished. Transparency and accountability are paramount. When times are tough for the community, the government must tighten its belt.

Finally, cross-agency cooperation can always be bolstered for public safety, emergency preparedness, and community unity. By hosting joint trainings with Fire, EMS & other complimentary agencies, we can continuously improve our emergency response and increase the quality of service provided to our citizens.

Community unity will also be strengthened through collaborative partnerships and projects with local non-profits, community resources, and community leaders.

These issues have all risen to the forefront from personal experience, discussions with agency members, legal considerations, and most importantly - citizen safety. All necessary changes will be integrated with full consideration of operational capability, fiduciary responsibility, legal counsel, and respect for the hard-working men and women who have helped develop the Allegany County Sheriff's Office into the premiere law-enforcement agency that it is today.

I know this agency and this county, and I respect them enough to acknowledge that we have areas in which we can improve. For the sake of the citizens in Allegany County, I commit to strategic, lawful, and cooperative growth within the agency and the community. 

Together, we can continue to set the standard for what a professional, Constitutional Sheriff's Office must be.

Our citizens deserve it.