ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore this week announced historic initiatives and investment in public safety to support rebuilding the State police force, promoting intelligence sharing and collaborative enforcement strategy, and reducing crime across Maryland. Joined by newly confirmed Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services Carolyn Scruggs and Secretary of Juvenile Services Vincent Schiraldi, the governor named Lieutenant Colonel Roland Butler as the next Maryland State Police Superintendent.
“To rebuild the State Police force, we must elevate the profession, invest in the training and development of our troopers, and do all we can to cultivate a culture that retains, advances, and rewards the most effective and ethical law enforcement professionals,” said Governor Moore. “The Maryland State Police is the vanguard of law enforcement in our state and at its best, that is what our State Police has done; and under my administration, that is the standard State Police will uphold.”
To rebuild and elevate the police force, Governor Moore defined the Maryland State Police’s mission to:
- Lead on providing cross-jurisdictional resources, intelligence, and guidance to advance public safety across the entire state
- Cultivate a culture that retains, advances, and rewards the most effective and ethical law enforcement professionals
- Renew commitment to transparency
- Work with state agencies and local partners to leverage data to promote intelligence sharing and collaborative enforcement strategy.
In this week’s press conference, the governor ordered all public safety agencies––including all state police agencies, Corrections, and Juvenile Services–– to produce After Action Reports when homicides or non-fatal shootings occur within their areas of responsibility.
$11 Million in supplemental funding for Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center
Governor Moore announced $11 million in funding to support the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center (MCAC). With this funding, MCAC will expand staffing, conduct trainings, and invest in technology infrastructure to keep Maryland safe from cyber attacks and threats to the homeland. The investment will help create more effective collaboration and data analysis, for MCAC to develop leads on suspicious criminal activity, drive more complete and effective investigations, and close more cases.
Governor Moore also announced that MCAC and the City of Baltimore have resumed an active partnership––bringing elite intelligence and investigations capability to Maryland’s largest city and hope to communities that have been devastated by crime. MCAC staff includes members of 30 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that source intelligence from across Maryland, neighboring states, and the federal government in order to monitor and disrupt violent crime.
The $11 million in MCAC funding complements substantial public safety investment priorities in the governor’s FY24 budget, including:
- $122 million in aid to local police departments, with $17.5 million dedicated to Baltimore City
- Nearly $69 million in direct local law enforcement grants, including $5 million to protect Marylanders against hate crimes
- $35 million for Victims of Crime Act funding to provide crime victims with the assistance and services necessary to aid in their restoration after a violent criminal act.
Lt. Col. Roland Butler named Maryland State Police Superintendent
To lead the Maryland State Police and usher in this new era of law enforcement strategy, Governor Moore named Lt. Col. Roland Butler as the new Maryland State Police Superintendent. Lt. Col. Butler has nearly 30 years of experience in law enforcement, including as Chief of the State Police Field Operations Bureau, where he led a patrol force of more than 1,000 troopers and investigative personnel assigned to 23 barracks.
“I am honored to have been chosen to lead the Maryland State Police under Governor Moore’s mission to truly improve the quality of life of citizens across the state,” said Lt. Col. Butler. “I know the task ahead of me will not be easy but I am ready, and so are the women and men of the Maryland State Police, to make an impact on our communities, and protect all Marylanders and those traveling through the state.”
During his career, Lt. Col. Butler served in both line and supervisory positions as he was promoted through the ranks, rising to become the sixth African-American lieutenant colonel in the 102-year history of the Maryland State Police. He has served on the superintendent’s staff, in the Maryland State Police Support Services Bureau Office of Equity and Inclusion, and in other positions throughout the Field Operations Bureau.
“I want to congratulate Lt. Col. Roland Butler on his appointment as the next Superintendent of the Maryland State Police. The Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City stands ready to partner with him and his agency to improve public safety in Baltimore because I fully understand that no elected official or government agency can solve this problem alone,” said State’s Attorney Ivan Bates. “Today’s announcement by Governor Moore is about increasing the resources and support needed to not only fight crime in Baltimore but deter it as well. The intelligence gathering and expertise held by MCAC are essential to our work to hold violent offenders accountable. This renewed partnership will restore intelligence and investigation proficiency, lost in years past, to assist in the crime fight.”
