[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6572347,"mediaKeyId","3172782-937b78f6cd3ddcbe10cb454d4119ab5c","parentId",3172782,"title","County fire officials warn of staffing shortfall as EMS calls rise; FY26 budget seeks significant increase","audioSeconds",523,"startMs",3343000,"endMs",3866000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3172782-937b78f6cd3ddcbe10cb454d4119ab5c&start=3343&end=3866","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3172782-937b78f6cd3ddcbe10cb454d4119ab5c/thumbnail_3343000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6572347/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/County-fire-officials-warn-of-staffing-shortfall-as-EMS-calls-rise-FY26-budget-seeks-significant-increase","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6572347-eaaf9da8206c7d93289a79dfc8d29c93/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185646&Signature=egJUp8S5e8LbeONcOrsezj5xpUYsA4OCkB4DrkOjU5QYFOWOXmoHCEAQeb9dnoMHO49LfNC-Qzp4FlPH0zr8bqf90Sm71ymMFQtT9b~bxXghXPh59pkZvhSvoHYxa3FO9BUzLhL2oYwUiLArHUIrbxo6UP1ouSc0JUW5eRr8pv-vgm3xa63eqsjLxvzjFiCCWhoaS6xhYCPwm3dCTTwkL6UDWJUBpN0CpExDw3YxoUBIO2v1XutcvapZGvX1KeXVZ~LK3yME4BtOJBkBPxl1mI~QTQFbJ2N3AfiZInOZcvDjmpjGHwbhPreaWb7NO9HM8hzVEZ5o06GQnJRSYKEfiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Prince George","date","2025-05-01T00:00:00Z","article","Prince George’s County fire officials told the Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee that Emergency Medical Services demand is rising, the department remains under its planned staffing complement, and the FY26 budget proposes a substantial increase to close the gap.

Fire Chief Green introduced command staff and highlighted operational statistics. “We spend a significant amount of time with some of our other primary missions which is preventing the call and educating our community,” Chief Green said, noting outreach to students and seniors and a 56% increase in smoke alarm installations from the prior year.

Malcolm Moody, OMB budget analyst, presented budget figures: the Fire/EMS proposed FY26 total is $324,500,000, an increase of $31,200,000 from FY25; the general fund proposal is $314,900,000, up about $31,700,000. Grant funds are proposed at $9,900,000, a decrease of $593,500. Moody said detailed grant and equipment lists appear in the budget book.

Chief Green and Deputy Chief McClellan described staffing and recruitment: the department’s target daily complement is 1,224 positions. Moody said the FY25 approved complement was 1,149; Chief Green said current on‑staff personnel number about 1,033, a shortfall of roughly 116 positions. The department has hired 82 personnel so far during the year and has additional recruit classes planned; the chief said one recruit class recently lost 16 trainees.

Recruit training lengths vary by existing certifications, Deputy Chief McClellan said: recruits who already hold EMS certification can complete recruit school in about 20 weeks; recruits without prior training require about 36 weeks.

Chief Green described operational steps taken to reduce overtime and ensure coverage. A summer staffing plan in the prior year moved 55 firefighters to relieve mandatory callbacks and reduced mandatory overtime by 77% during the period; the chief said that approach is not intended this summer and cautioned that “it’s going to be a challenging summer for us.”

The department discussed programmatic and equipment needs: volunteer tracking software (CrewSense) is in testing, an accountability system to monitor firefighters’ locations was proposed, and staff cited an estimate of roughly $336,500,000 to replace equipment at replacement age across department and volunteer apparatus. Chief Green described a new cadet apprenticeship program to recruit 17‑year‑olds and a faster volunteer onboarding process: background processing for volunteers has moved from multiple weeks to about three days after adding an investigator.

Union president Grant Walker addressed the committee and said recruitment and retention remain urgent: he said the department lost 83 personnel in calendar year 2024 and that 50 of those were resignations (non‑retirement). Walker urged faster hiring and called nearby jurisdictions’ staffing levels an example to emulate.

Ending: Council members pressed for exit‑interview data and clearer attrition analysis; Chief Green and budget staff said they will provide breakdowns of resignations and recommended follow-up on the five‑year staffing plan included with the presentation. Officials said a combination of recruitment, regional salary competitiveness and departmental wellness efforts will affect retention as the county moves to close the staffing gap.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Prince George - Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee - Budget Work-session: Administrative Charging Committee, Police Accountability Board (PAB), Fire/Volunteer Fire - May 01, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Prince George’s County fire officials told the Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee that Emergency Medical Services demand is rising, the department remains under its planned staffing complement, and the FY26 budget proposes a substantial increase to close the gap.","taxTitle","Prince George's County, Maryland","taxId",3378,"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},6572352,"Police Accountability Board reports more public complaints after outreach campaign, seeks sustained reporting from agencies",329,2313000,2642000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3172782-937b78f6cd3ddcbe10cb454d4119ab5c&start=2313&end=2642","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3172782-937b78f6cd3ddcbe10cb454d4119ab5c/thumbnail_2313000.jpg","/articles/6572352/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Police-Accountability-Board-reports-more-public-complaints-after-outreach-campaign-seeks-sustained-reporting-from-agencies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6572352-a6c9b8250500d9f39d55ccfe4f27b974/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185646&Signature=K9JSkaHKLKkJzDHYX8-XP674TYF7f2bavPb97cw-JARcUTQWbFxqo93Ufw9MM5L5XSP0a6o1u6gt5Cokv~bUCEAPSCP2SjTMo25zYkd1LCJlv5Q3d4wfFnO7s9YfX9wM3MxgeUJ~QJCLiZ6Y5CXj0gsrBUqGuf~3SPaAcIVaMsXwwsdXdhlBEQifnmy4GO3aNJHbrpYpPOFq2Osj3~nADM4ZnFQXJNBj9FyhzzJrsXLuZyKTN1GR9j008OWo-cu9a0RbxqE4YvNY5IWfdXwJFyIynePPWBRuFGH8I33BEXoRDjY8LklLTcvgYHlEyEaj1Vitr~VsLdzn9Hz90bIGBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Prince George’s County Police Accountability Board reported a rise in complaints and outlined outreach activity and budget figures during the Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee’s FY26 agency reviews.

Anthony Bennett, Inspector General, introduced the Police Accountability Board as the OICPA’s public-facing unit. Program administrator Ebony Rawls and policy analyst Crystal Loughini joined Bennett at the table for the presentation.

Malcolm Moody, OMB budget analyst, told the committee the PAB’s total proposed FY26 budget is $911,300, a decrease of $225,100 from FY25; the general fund portion is $785,500 and was unchanged from FY25. The PAB’s proposed positions are five.

Rawls said the PAB produced 141 complaint filings in 2024 (up from 104 in 2023) and had received 49 complaints so far in the current reporting period cited to the committee. She said 77% of 2024 complaints — 109 of 141 — were associated with the Prince George’s County Police Department. Intake methods were predominantly online (about 72%) followed by email (13%), mail (6%), forwarded by agencies (6%) and in person (3%).

Rawls described a community awareness campaign funded by grants: $110,000 from a community grant and $115,000 from a PAC grant. The PAC-funded campaign included advertising on 40 Metro buses and digital displays at Metro stations, and Rawls said the advertisements corresponded with a 10% spike in complaints in March and a subsequent 25% increase in average monthly complaints.

Rawls also said the board is now at a full complement of 11 members after the March 11, 2025, appointment of Stephanie Maxwell. She reported PAB outreach such as National Night Out and a March community podcast with the Memorial Library System and Office of Human Rights, and said the board launched an anonymous community feedback survey to gather public input on law enforcement interactions and PAB awareness.

Council member Oriaba asked about a recommendation to amend CB 21-22 so agencies submit monthly written reports. Rawls said there is currently no facility to submit that information to the PAB and that the board wants not only complaint counts but information on internal investigations and field inquiries so the board can track trends; she supported conversations about mandatory reporting requirements.

Ending: Council members asked PAB staff for proposed reporting parameters and said they will explore making some training recommendations mandatory. Rawls said PAB materials and surveys are available in Spanish and that PAB staff and board members will work with the county’s Latino Affairs liaison and other partners to expand non-English outreach.","The Police Accountability Board (PAB) told the County Council committee that complaints rose after a recent outreach campaign using bus and metro advertising, and that the board is seeking better, regular data submissions from law enforcement to track internal investigations and field inquiries.",{"_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},6572357,"Prince George's County review finds Administrative Charging Committee handling more complaints with limited staff",252,166000,418000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3172782-937b78f6cd3ddcbe10cb454d4119ab5c&start=166&end=418","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3172782-937b78f6cd3ddcbe10cb454d4119ab5c/thumbnail_166000.jpg","/articles/6572357/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Prince-Georges-County-review-finds-Administrative-Charging-Committee-handling-more-complaints-with-limited-staff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6572357-e8eb508557db02d5140ae9b7f7cfdb88/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185646&Signature=FbUuBBD5zzQBtamNrRqk7hOSHWQPP4wMu6ADKphxfSgEy7GhCovMN9-YFcOXVZYq7zO5LQlr~kfcVOxTPutEkJsEQyFiOkPWz3ouEi8Zg5Ed51ryh6aCn-UyxAzf26W4uyTMxWJOUumk40Eijq8o44DhE2Vrj~c-T4s23Hpf7PlpkICMsidMytjRqsbvzpTEdaM0BTX8FNJZzTDDt~IZ9z6E5bQoZNjfntXlLUgRl9oIfQGEUUflFltVLFS-8OAwYBexAn7jt2l49GZ1FclabYIcfSUfhuXvjg4EGcWzOHKia6~dyD-25XU4ms-4qjAMj0P8knilT~zl1~tIco0eTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Administrative Charging Committee has reviewed hundreds of complaints since it began operating and sustained about a third of allegation findings, county officials told the Prince George’s County Council Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee during an FY26 budget presentation.

Inspector General Anthony Bennett, director of the Office of Integrity, Compliance and Police Accountability (OICPA), said the agency “oversee[s] 29 law enforcement agencies that that actively work within Prince George’s County,” and described the ACC as a civilian board that reviews citizen-initiated disciplinary matters.

Isabelle Williams, program administrator for the ACC, told the committee that since the office began operating the ACC has received 640 allegations and that the committee sustained 203 allegations. She said the ACC has held seven trainings for police internal affairs units and received investigations from 15 law enforcement agencies.

Why it matters: County staff said the ACC’s caseload and some newly enacted or pending legislation will increase workload and require additional personnel and an upgraded case management system so citizens can track complaint status and staff can reduce review time.

Committee budget staff presented the ACC’s FY26 request and said the committee’s proposed total budget is $1,400,000, a decrease of $257,700 from FY25. The general fund portion of the ACC’s FY26 request is $1,200,000, a decrease of $64,700; staffing was listed as unchanged at eight positions.

Williams gave a breakdown of outcomes and types of allegations. She said the ACC’s primary disposition is “sustained,” at about 34% of allegations, and that the most common allegation category is “conduct unbecoming,” followed by attention to duty, neglect of duty, use of force, discourtesy and protocol violations. Williams told the committee that the ACC sustained more body-camera related violations in the past year because committee members expect familiarity with those general orders.

Williams also said the ACC has issued 17 terminations since opening; seven terminations occurred last year, and of those seven she said three were for law violations, two for unbecoming conduct and two for false statements.

Committee members pressed staff on repeat respondents. Council member Olson asked how many officers returned repeatedly to the ACC. Williams said the ACC observed about a 20% recidivism rate but has not implemented a systematic follow-up process except for domestic violence cases. Bennett, the inspector general, said his office is developing tracking to identify repeat respondents and will work with the county’s Chiefs Association and individual agencies to consider training or other remedial steps.

Staff recommendations and needs described to the committee included a capital request for a full-service case management system that would allow public tracking of complaints, and additional staff to handle future workload increases and statutory review periods.

Ending: Committee staff said some FY26 ACC expenditures are funded centrally through the Office of Information Technology and that portions of accountability-related costs were moved between agencies in the proposed budget. Council members asked for follow-up on tracking repeat respondents and on steps to shorten review times.","County staff told the Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee that the Administrative Charging Committee (ACC) received hundreds of misconduct allegations since it opened, sustained a growing share of body-camera and conduct-unbecoming charges, and is seeking a case management system and more personnel to reduce review time.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County fire officials warn of staffing shortfall as EMS calls rise; FY26 budget seeks significant increase

Police Accountability Board reports more public complaints after outreach campaign, seeks sustained reporting from agencies

Prince George's County review finds Administrative Charging Committee handling more complaints with limited staff