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Anne Arundel County police chief warns staffing shortfalls persist despite recruiting gains
Summary
Police Chief Atwood told the County Council the department remains authorized for 809 sworn officers but still faces 51 vacancies and 121 officers in "not operational" status, and described steps underway — including pay increases, pre-hire programs and recruiting changes — to rebuild staffing and specialized units.
Police Chief Atwood told the Anne Arundel County Council on March 11 that the Police Department is authorized for 809 sworn officers but still has 51 vacancies and 121 officers in “not operational” status, a category the department uses for officers out of duty 30 days or more for reasons such as medical leave, military deployment or academy training.
Atwood said the 121 figure includes the 51 vacancies and that the number of non-operational officers fluctuates; the department’s five-year monthly average of non-operational officers is about 35. He told the council that typical annual separations average about 50 sworn officers per year because of retirements, resignations and terminations.
The chief and members of his executive team described a mix of short- and longer-term responses aimed at reducing the staffing gap. Among measures cited were raising…
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