Annapolis Police present staffing, crime trends and accreditation during Finance Committee hearing

Annapolis Police Chief Michael Jackson (title as presented) and command staff briefed the Finance Standing Committee on April 28 about FY25 accomplishments, crime trends and requested FY26 budget items, placing particular emphasis on staffing, evidence management and new program support positions.

Chief Jackson described the department’s mission to prevent violence, support reentry and promote officer wellness, and announced the department’s accreditation reinstatement in March. Captain Amy Miguez (presenting administrative details) told the committee the department sought no large, across-the-board increases but had targeted requests to meet operational needs: conversion of six positions to civil service, a contracts-funded Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program manager, respiratory-screening costs related to officer mask issuance, replacement and additional police radios, and incremental drone purchases.

Nut graf: The department presented crime and performance metrics to show it remains capable of rapid response and investigation while pleading for specific operational investments: an analyst slot at a county Real Time Information Center (RTIC) and a grants administrator to consolidate grant management across units.

Data and requests highlighted

- Crime trends and clearance rates: The department reported five homicides in FY25 (counting the fiscal-year period) and said homicide clearance rates remain well above many national averages; the department told the committee it has cleared or made significant progress on several recent homicide investigations. Major-incident response times for priority calls averaged under four minutes.

- Grants and one-time funding: The department reported roughly $2 million in state and federal grant awards in FY25 and said those grants funded multiple initiatives, including a Byrne/JAG award used to cover a body-worn camera (BWC) reviewer position. The department noted continued uncertainty about the federal grant environment but reported no immediate letters of action affecting its funding at the time of the hearing.

- UAS (drone) program and equipment: The presentation requested approximately $45,000 for four drones (two larger platforms for accident reconstruction and two smaller indoor-capable units) and identified an additional personnel line (noted by the city budget manager as $102,200 in salaries and benefits) for a UAS program manager to implement policy, training, certification, data-retention rules and public notifications for flights. The department said the manager would establish operating protocols and oversee trained operators across the department.

- Police radios and technology: Staff requested funding to replace several vehicle radios that were not compatible with a county radio upgrade; the request included about six vehicle radios, a one-time expenditure to bring vehicle communications into full compatibility.

Committee questions and concerns

Council members asked about staffing levels: the department’s authorized complement and current staffing. Captain Miguez said the department is authorized for 124 sworn officers but reported a current headcount of about 130 (including recruits in the academy); committee members noted the city code target of roughly 3.2 officers per 1,000 residents and discussed whether auxiliary or non-sworn positions could help extend patrol coverage.

Aldermen asked about the cost to restart the Annapolis Ambassadors program downtown; staff estimated prior grant-funded Ambassadors cost roughly $100,000 per year and expressed support for the program’s public-safety and visitor-service contributions. Committee members also discussed speed-camera rollout and related staffing needs for review and citation processing.

Ending

Committee members thanked police leadership for a detailed presentation and requested follow-up documentation: an updated staffing org chart, national-comparison clearance-rate figures, details on UAS operating policies and a cost estimate to restart the Ambassadors program. The department said it will provide follow-up materials to committee staff.