STATE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS HOPEFUL AS GOVERNOR GOES TO WASHINGTON

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2010

STATE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS HOPEFUL AS GOVERNOR GOES TO WASHINGTON
http://www.mdsp.org/Media/press_release_details.asp?identifier=910

(Pikesville, MD) – State public safety officials are hoping Governor Martin O’Malley’s meeting today with members of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation will result in funding for much needed projects that will directly and positively impact law enforcement effectiveness in Maryland. Governor O’Malley is presenting the public safety priorities today as part of a package of statewide initiatives. The public safety list ranges from funding for first responder interoperability, to a new bomb robot, to updated and additional in-car camera equipment for State Police patrol cars. “Each of these requests has been carefully reviewed and prioritized in regard to what would be the most effective in helping us reduce violent crime and enhance homeland security in Maryland,” Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police said. “Communication, computerization, consolidation, and cooperation are our goals as we work to do our job better at the state level, while working in coordination with local authorities.” At the top of the list is first responder radio interoperability. Governor O’Malley has already launched a statewide effort to ensure all state and local law enforcement and emergency response agencies can communicate, especially in times of disaster. The request is for $20 million to achieve interoperability for both routine and emergency communications between all state and local law enforcement agencies in Maryland. “These projects are important not only to law enforcement, but also the emergency management community,” said Richard Muth, Executive Director of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. “Funding for radio interoperability is especially needed to help agencies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and discipline to discipline communicate during major emergencies.” “Security Integration is a critical element of the O’Malley administration’s public safety strategy,” said Kristen Mahoney, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. “These priorities help achieve it by supporting seamless coordination and consistent information-sharing in law enforcement. The people of Maryland will be the winners.” A request for $500,000 would fund a Maryland Transportation Authority Police project that would complete the installation of license plate readers at all critical bridge and tunnel highways in the Baltimore area. License plate readers automatically check vehicle registration plates and immediately alert police to stolen cars, wanted fugitives, suspended tags, or other criminal violations. “The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Police have found the use of license plate reader technology to be a valuable tool as we accomplish our goals of securing critical transportation infrastructure throughout Maryland.” said MDTA Police Chief Marcus L. Brown. A funding request for $10 million will permit the implementation of a computer aided dispatch and records management system for state law enforcement agencies in Maryland. This would enable the Maryland State Police, Maryland Transportation Authority Police, Maryland Natural Resources Police, and other critical state public safety agencies to use the same dispatch and records management system. These departments would then have the ability to share resources more effectively, while providing real-time crime statistics and information to each agency. Ultimately, this technology will modernize crime fighting and information sharing, while providing for more effective policing and public safety services. Working to increase homeland security preparedness includes ensuring the proper deployment of needed resources. A funding request of $1.3 million will provide for the purchase of an additional bomb squad robot and robot response vehicle, along with related bomb disposal equipment. This unit would be assigned in the metropolitan Baltimore area. Acquisition of this new unit would reduce response time and increase the safety of Office of the State Fire Marshal Bomb Squad technicians, other law enforcement personnel, and citizens living near the scene of an incident involving explosives. In-car cameras have become a valuable component in Maryland State Police patrol cars. They act as a silent, unbiased witness to the interaction between troopers and citizens during traffic stops and often provide the immediate resolution of concerns arising from those contacts. Those recordings also are a valuable resource for State Police supervisors to assess the skills of their troopers and they aid troopers in their court testimony during both traffic and criminal proceedings. A funding request of $2.3 million would be used to expand the current number of in-car cameras and update the video systems currently in use with digital camera systems. When a person is arrested, police take fingerprints and photographs that are used to record the individual’s identity. Routinely, suspects are encountered who provide a false identity. This issue has become increasingly important as law enforcement deals with issues of terrorism and homeland security. The Maryland State Police hopes a $1.9 million funding request can be used to obtain “live-scan” fingerprinting and photographing equipment for 12 of its barracks located in counties where there is no central booking system, as well as one for the Licensing Division and one for the Forensic Sciences Division. The live-scan machine eliminates the manual ‘ink-rolled’ fingerprint card and takes a scanned image of a person’s fingerprints. It allows for the immediate transmission of those prints and photographs for identification purposes and will increase the number of warrants being served when a person’s identity is promptly confirmed. Improving public safety through reducing violent crime and enhancing homeland security continues to be a top priority for the O’Malley-Brown Administration. These and other public safety federal funding priorities are proof that every opportunity is being taken to protect our citizens and make Maryland safer.

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