County councilmember meets Seat Pleasant council, urges stepped-up policing and stronger enforcement of nuisance and retail rules

Prince George’s County Councilmember for District 7 told the Seat Pleasant City Council on Nov. 10 that new county police leadership and recently passed county laws create an opportunity to reduce crime in areas adjacent to the city. County Councilmember McCarthy said the county has been meeting with Police Chief Nader about extending specialized, high-intensity patrols in problem locations for longer periods to produce a sustained crime reduction.

"We've had the opportunity to meet a few times about how we can better collaborate on police presence for specific areas that have issues," McCarthy said, describing plans to test longer deployments and to coordinate with municipal partners. She cited data from prior operations using intensive policing that showed a consistent reduction in crime and said she wants to expand that model where it is effective.

McCarthy also described several pieces of county legislation intended to make enforcement easier: a requirement that establishments open late obtain approved security plans from the police department, a rule limiting stores whose floor plan is primarily tobacco to stricter licensing, and an outright ban on certain LED-sign lighting. "If they want to be open late hours, then they need to have this approved plan, working with the police department," she said, adding that adoption alone is not enough without administrative follow-through.

Council members and residents said enforcement has lagged. One council member pushed for a multi-agency memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would coordinate police, code enforcement and other agencies so the city and county can respond together to persistent nuisances. McCarthy said MOUs and community walk-throughs have been used elsewhere to allow police to trespass or otherwise enforce conditions when a business owner cooperates, and she offered to arrange a working meeting to draft such an MOU.

The county official acknowledged operational gaps at the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement (DPIE), noting a backlog of uncollected violations and that insufficient staffing can reduce enforcement effectiveness. She described recently passed tools intended to strengthen enforcement — including higher fines, the ability to place liens on property tax bills for unpaid violations, and authority for the county to manage certain properties after repeated violations — and said those tools must be implemented by DPIE to have effect.

McCarthy also spoke about economic development and food access. She said the county funded a feasibility study of government-assisted grocery solutions and placed FY26 dollars for a pilot modeled on programs such as a library-based free grocery in Baltimore. She said she is pursuing investors for redevelopment near Addison Plaza and expects the Blue Line corridor to deliver additional investment if county and private partners align.

The county councilmember said she will meet with county administration during the council recess to get updates on implementation of pending legislation and encouraged Seat Pleasant to identify specific sites and concerns for prioritized attention. Residents asked officials to follow up on sidewalks, stormwater, clogged drains and lighting gaps that contribute to safety concerns.

The council scheduled a short internal working meeting in the coming weeks to begin drafting the MOU and to set a public follow-up once the draft is ready.