[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6377640,"mediaKeyId","2138868-c84aefbab436f7582a74650fb1a70335","parentId",2138868,"title","Sheriff requests staff, technology and patrol upgrades; commissioners weigh priorities for Lexington Park","audioSeconds",1286,"startMs",760000,"endMs",2046000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138868-c84aefbab436f7582a74650fb1a70335&start=760&end=2046","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138868-c84aefbab436f7582a74650fb1a70335/thumbnail_760000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6377640/St-Marys-County/Maryland/Sheriff-requests-staff-technology-and-patrol-upgrades-commissioners-weigh-priorities-for-Lexington-Park","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377640-9f62eb73c04d95f38c1132720aa7ffbc/orig.mp4?Expires=1775312657&Signature=fY5F7v9sLfwKxjol50IyyqBBhaB-pqJzEur-BDOH4dbliTB6K9mbnrdqsjETe4NKVRCygkC~BXGm~IUEXEBSXwkjCFB082J-yB8e87dg~hIdoqo523Xu8h8DoAVR~n20RjZ5OnS4WQSz8kGSUMT01~zilmIHStsKZM2a8R5FGdBfSMUIkoAE3FAoeG5C4yvrgSqy803Tjx3l9KNhpqkyc8xG9HtIpwBw1BR1R56c21smkEmlAW~9SD8Zory52VKOEdk-GXXF8F2g3X5qyBeAZ6n7w3oyjk206zHid-I2P-57YbKR9vemmV860yL8X~kwH28ntYQmFStwV6l1vK8ZkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Mary's County, MD","date","2025-01-22T18:38:26.003Z","article","The St. Mary's County sheriff on Monday asked the Board of County Commissioners to approve a package of personnel and equipment additions for the sheriff's office aimed at expanding patrol presence and improving investigative capacity, with a particular emphasis on a community-policing push in Lexington Park.

The sheriff said the office's FY2013 request would increase law enforcement spending and outlined specific asks including additional deputies for a community policing initiative in Lexington Park, new ranks and promotional moves, civilian station clerks intended to free supervisors for street duties, an NCIC validation coordinator, internal-affairs software and investments for the crime lab.

Why it matters: Commissioners repeatedly described Lexington Park policing as a priority and pressed staff and the sheriff to identify lower-cost alternatives and trade-offs. Several members said they favor steps that put more uniformed officers on the street, but they also flagged the county's limited revenue outlook and asked that rank promotions and systemwide compensation decisions be resolved in a separate March 13 meeting covering countywide pay and benefits.

Most significant requests and debate
- Community policing in Lexington Park: The sheriff sought five deputies for a C-Safe/community-policing initiative to patrol Lexington Park and pursue a broader problem-solving approach, saying the additional officers would let the county \"clean up\" problem areas and replicate the positive effects of past place-based work (lights and patrol) in Colony Square. Commissioners supported the goal but asked whether existing deputies could be redeployed, whether civilian hires could free sworn officers for patrol, and whether the School Resource Officer (SRO) program should be funded from the Board of Education budget instead of county general funds. The sheriff said the new deputies were designed for an initiative distinct from normal patrol and that the request reflects his assessment of local need.

- Rank promotions: The sheriff asked to convert deputy first-class and deputy positions into promotional ranks (DFC, corporal and others). Commissioners declined to approve promotions now, noting promotions would be considered along with countywide compensation and merit decisions scheduled for March 13. One commissioner said promotions should be handled systemwide to avoid internal conflict.

- Civilian station clerks: The sheriff proposed adding civilian station clerks (a request that included restoring one previously frozen civilian position plus additional new clerks) to relieve lieutenants and sergeants from front-desk duties, freeing senior uniformed staff to supervise on the street. Commissioners asked for options including part-time or hybrid hiring and directed staff to work with the sheriff to develop alternatives (for example restoring a frozen position as part time) and return with specific scenarios.

- NCIC validation coordinator and IA software: The sheriff requested a full-time NCIC validation coordinator to replace a long-running temporary arrangement and said the work requires near full-time attention to meet National Crime Information Center validation rules. He also asked for an internal-affairs (IA) software package (described as an early-warning and case-management system) for roughly $13,400 initial cost plus recurring maintenance; proponents said it would replace manual, time-consuming reporting and improve compliance and reporting (CALEA) capacity. Commissioners generally supported carrying IA software forward for further review, asking staff to look for potential overtime offsets and to confirm whether any countywide systems could meet the need.

- Crime lab, surveillance and investigative capacity: The sheriff sought increased forensic supplies, confidential surveillance equipment and training for VCI/computer crimes. Commissioners accepted the operational need but asked finance staff to check prior-year use rates and to treat some supplies as event-driven increases that could be revisited as revenues and needs are reconciled.

Commissioners' directives and next steps
Commissioners did not make final approvals at the meeting. They asked staff to: (1) treat rank and pay changes separately at the March 13 countywide compensation session; (2) return with options for station-clerk staffing (part-time vs full-time, phased restoration of frozen positions) and the operational impacts; (3) look for internal reassignments and civilianization opportunities that could free sworn officers for patrol; and (4) bring updated revenue estimates before any new hires are finalized. The board indicated it would carry some sheriff items forward as \"maybes\" pending reconciliation with projected revenues.

Quotes
\"I'm authorized a 130. I haven't had any police since 2009. I believe today I have 4 vacancies,\" Sheriff Cameron said, describing the department's staffing challenges and arguing for tools and staff to keep deputies on the street. \"The lieutenant or duty officer being on the desk is something that has been in practice here for a long, long time. The public likes it because they can get a policeman on the phone to answer their questions. But we're at the point now where I need everybody that I can get, especially senior leadership, because we're a young department.\"

The sheriff also said of NCIC validation: \"Right now, this is being done manually by a sergeant... it takes hours upon weeks to get this stuff done. This will be entered into the system and automatically will generate the reports for you.\"

Ending: The commissioners and sheriff left the meeting with several open items to refine. The board signaled political support for improving police presence in Lexington Park but asked staff to return with lower-cost options and clearer trade-offs before committing new recurring spending.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/5/2012 CSMC Budget Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","The St. Mary's County sheriff asked commissioners to approve new deputies, civilian station clerks, upgrades to investigative technology and other hires as part of the FY2013 budget request, focusing on a community-policing initiative in Lexington Park.","taxTitle","St. Mary's County, Maryland","taxId",51086,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6377627,"County reviews vehicle replacement schedule; exempt-finance costs to shift into department budgets",8520,146000,8666000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138868-c84aefbab436f7582a74650fb1a70335&start=146&end=8666","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138868-c84aefbab436f7582a74650fb1a70335/thumbnail_146000.jpg","/articles/6377627/St-Marys-County/Maryland/County-reviews-vehicle-replacement-schedule-exempt-finance-costs-to-shift-into-department-budgets","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377627-d66de31422d6b856702f5d27da651089/orig.mp4?Expires=1775312657&Signature=lWcYayujAZC9h~tf24YvDKnpNQKLkRGjwusXT6EgGc5dsk1dd1GFzD5CkJeiqe~4mBC0hPoT~OeV646D~AqaJmT2EWCFH5ZUjIwEyUE5m3nrMqs5lpwg5EIIYz1Qn8myQ3KsGic8ri8fG2SK7R7ekFA8knn13bzmcOc345ZNta74JNyLF80aTKh9sxX1NYY98kRVrr7QyZis3mw4clVuM4olD8U14W4RDzrIE2mumYxTELnPA3SVV6vPAqi24ceQddt1Jr5vdI11w7QX3UwbNPwqAzoXSaettyxL~DATBRAxJ-72BgjbmYcvWe1MBaa1C9DzKZlJ0KUzgVYo991X9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County finance staff told the Board of County Commissioners that a consolidated vehicle replacement schedule (page 50 of the budget packet) proposes replacements for aging fleet vehicles and showed the financing mechanics and department-level exempt financing charges that would flow into operating budgets if the commissioners approve the schedule.

Key numbers and mechanism
Staff described a replacement total in the packet of about $1.4 million and identified an estimated exempt-finance cost of $318,293. If the board approves the schedule, the exempt-finance charge would be shifted from the vehicle-maintenance account into the operating budgets of the departments receiving the replacements. Finance staff gave an example: if approved, the sheriff's budget would increase by $137,081 (the sheriff's share of the exempt-financing estimate); highways, public safety, technology and building services would also see proportional increases; the general fund total of exempt-finance allocations shown was $275,226 in staff's illustrative breakout.

Why it matters: financing flows and charge allocations change how departments show operating increases. Commissioners asked staff to supply details about which vehicles are slated for replacement, the age and mileage thresholds driving replacements, and whether the county could phase purchases to match available revenues.

Commissioner direction
Commissioners approved carrying the replacement schedule for further review but did not adopt it at this meeting. They asked DPW and finance staff to bring back more precise information on age, mileage and the allocation across funds (general fund and enterprise funds) and said they wanted to consider the exempt-finance impact when reconciling department requests with projected revenues.

Ending: The vehicle replacement plan remains under review; staff will return with a prioritized, annotated schedule and the specific operating budget transfers that would result from any approvals.","County finance staff presented a vehicle replacement schedule showing about $1.4 million in replacements and an estimated $318,293 in exempt-finance charges that would be allocated to department budgets if the board approves the schedule.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6377632,"Commissioners delay reclassification program; three elected offices flagged for future review",665,1084000,1749000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138868-c84aefbab436f7582a74650fb1a70335&start=1084&end=1749","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138868-c84aefbab436f7582a74650fb1a70335/thumbnail_1084000.jpg","/articles/6377632/St-Marys-County/Maryland/Commissioners-delay-reclassification-program-three-elected-offices-flagged-for-future-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377632-c5bb58318a712ae33efd2afda4217e78/orig.mp4?Expires=1775312657&Signature=gVO~FZ3keNh3Vlow-7xs9J7oIbdtSez1w-y~tttDy6agSI2WB8NoPL3YpB1oAz4i4~6bKGDREy0X-ooE4dcuNxS29wHraUPqq-uCzAiMb4-afEw7qms7-t-nRsXl1LMrGwKhXqrnWQolQrkvy-h6jzcUbsonjbTNR8-3JbF0cnkv3QVU7aJnDZfssgcJVoXgM7KReIPU72jxTvE0CGA4t9eLVLRw2h~A5y6ulZQafQhCDAtpBB-DU7eYfy1vxuJjoqSc7Wqeewa2AwPFVuHkwe9P4z57sZddgQhxXK~PXJHmTKG4yt~d0DlbjyhBmXeIZWWFZ8hgQOdYEGN46dmswg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioners discussed requests for employee reclassifications that appeared in the FY2013 submissions from several elected offices and agreed to postpone any systemwide reclassification work until next fiscal year.

Why it matters: Reclassifications can affect pay equity and create follow-on requests across departments. Commissioners emphasized a preference to handle classification changes as a countywide program rather than ad hoc approvals that could prompt immediate, widespread appeals.

What was requested and board response
Three elected offices submitted reclassification or pay-adjustment items in their FY2013 requests: the circuit court sought to upgrade a senior legal assistant, the state's attorney asked for attorney pay adjustments, and the treasurer requested a fiscal specialist reclassification. Those items were identified in the yellow budget forms presented to the board.

Commissioners' reaction
Several commissioners expressed support for a comprehensive reclassification review but not for piecemeal approvals this budget cycle. One commissioner said the board should \"do it for everybody\" when it restarts the classification process, rather than granting isolated requests that could cause internal conflict. Another commissioner asked staff to present a plan before the end of the summer that would handle classification for more than 700 employees in a coordinated way.

Direction to staff
Commissioners directed staff to develop a countywide plan for reclassification to be considered for the next fiscal year. In the meantime, they generally recommended holding individual reclassification requests and not rolling any adjustments into the FY2013 approved budget at this time.

Ending: The board accepted the need to study classification and agreed to revisit the process before the next budget cycle; some individual requests remain in the budget submissions but were not approved at this meeting.","The Board of County Commissioners agreed to defer a countywide reclassification and pay adjustments until next year but noted three elected offices had requested individual reclassifications in the FY2013 submissions. Commissioners asked staff to return with a plan to evaluate reclassification countywide before the next budget cycle.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6377637,"Detention staffing requests tied to planned expansion; commissioners ask timeline and phasing details",386,6574000,6960000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138868-c84aefbab436f7582a74650fb1a70335&start=6574&end=6960","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138868-c84aefbab436f7582a74650fb1a70335/thumbnail_6574000.jpg","/articles/6377637/St-Marys-County/Maryland/Detention-staffing-requests-tied-to-planned-expansion-commissioners-ask-timeline-and-phasing-details","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6377637-c3710d855eb958f6a99fadcf0e4d47ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1775312657&Signature=AS0dAB95IkEjMEQNwbcn6hY1KvzL2rRYgb94qkOZKsroxKWgHLsl~KZ~ypH8iBJzBT651ufjXd5hkR01f4xhA1z1DC8CUb0XUZboYvsR-tcsZZwD2dY9EWlWAlzrsYcEqW8H5vDjIFRVRlgliKvfn7o6s7grOnjvH7zSPgVRQ3Y0bdUSsQSfZChncGcY9rYs8JQiASZYt41hEcTFAcNoZIa8vGhBURZqqxnmmGws7lFs1ayKNDXiXj0doJuZX04S8AtKXQKZiZGrFwhQ7FUO1aV-YcVU7GX3OS63K7qSbc7QIdLo-Pa0vQ0w2gsLl~thU1AD4oVfXUcZcALqy~A9Ng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Mary's County corrections leadership asked the Board of County Commissioners to include a set of new correctional posts in the FY2013 budget that would support a planned minimum-security expansion (\"phase 1\") of the county detention facility.

Why it matters: The proposed hires are directly tied to the county's capital plan for a detention expansion and would create recurring personnel costs. Commissioners asked whether operating hires should be timed to the capital project schedule and pressed for clearer cost and timing estimates before committing new recurring staff.

Requests and rationale
- Corrections requested several new positions linked in the submission to the detention center expansion: kitchen/laundry correctional officers, work-release officers, pod staff and supply/senior office specialists. The submission lists multiple positions and indicates they are needed for a phase-1 minimum security expansion.
- Corrections leadership and a captain at the meeting said bringing a new housing unit online will require additional staff and that hiring, training and certification timelines are substantial: the captain told commissioners that if the project began immediately it could take roughly 18 months to be ready to accept inmates and that opening even a single cell block would require additional trained officers, floor rovers and supporting staff.

Commissioner concerns and direction
Commissioners signaled the need to align operating approvals with capital timelines. They asked staff to show operating impacts only when the capital schedule is sufficiently definite and to consider phased hiring tied to the construction and hiring lead times. The board also asked the sheriff and corrections leadership to provide a prioritized list of posts and the minimum staffing required to open partial bed space (for example opening one cell block), and to show which requested positions are strictly capital-dependent.

Clarifying details
Captain (corrections) said opening additional cell blocks would require 5'10 additional personnel per opening, plus roving staff, and noted that new hires must complete academy and field training before assuming posts. Commissioners and staff agreed to hold some corrections hires as contingent on the capital timeline and to revisit them after capital decisions.

Ending: Commissioners kept the detention-related hires in a pending category tied to the capital project schedule and asked for a clear hiring timeline and phased staffing plan. No formal budget approvals were taken at this meeting.","Sheriff's office and corrections leaders asked the commissioners to add correctional officers, kitchen/laundry staff and other posts tied to a proposed minimum-security expansion (phase 1). Commissioners asked how quickly new beds could open and whether hiring could be phased to match a construction timeline.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sheriff requests staff, technology and patrol upgrades; commissioners weigh priorities for Lexington Park

County reviews vehicle replacement schedule; exempt-finance costs to shift into department budgets

Commissioners delay reclassification program; three elected offices flagged for future review

Detention staffing requests tied to planned expansion; commissioners ask timeline and phasing details