Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Grant topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Carroll County approves state grant to target criminal networks and drug trafficking
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners approved the county's application and acceptance of a Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network grant to fund two prosecutor positions, a crime analyst and support services to disrupt criminal networks.
The Carroll County Board of County Commissioners voted April 17 to approve submission of the fiscal-year 2026 Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network grant application and to accept the award if it is made.
The grant funds a prosecutor-driven regional initiative that county officials said prioritizes the investigation and prosecution of criminal networks, including drug trafficking organizations. The state's attorney's office said the program supports data-sharing, training, surveillance equipment and overtime funding for local law-enforcement partners.
"The Carroll County State's Attorney's Office is one of 15 sites across Maryland that prioritizes the prosecution of criminal networks, operating within the county, including drug trafficking organizations," said the State's Attorney (Hine), who introduced felony narcotics prosecutor Elizabeth Camuti to the board. Camuti described the program as a data-driven effort that coordinates prosecutors, analysts and law-enforcement partners to "identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal networks." The office said the county has participated since 2020.
County staff said the grant request covers two prosecutor/coordinator positions and a crime analyst and funds software, surveillance equipment, training and law-enforcement overtime for partners including the Carroll County Sheriff's Office and Maryland State Police. Commissioners described the program as a model for interagency collaboration: one commissioner called it "what right looks like."
The public motion to approve the application and accept the award carried by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting minutes. County staff said the total grant funds would be $526,246 with a local cost share of $7,880.
Why it matters: County officials said the grant is a central part of a statewide strategy to target organized drug trafficking and reduce opioid overdoses by improving cross‑jurisdictional sharing of intelligence and prosecutorial coordination.
Looking ahead: Staff will complete the application and, if an award is made, return to the county for any contract or budget adjustments required by the grant terms.
