Police Chief 'Impressed' With New County Exec

Anne Arundel County Police Chief Larry Tolliver said he has been encouraged by recent discussions with the new county executive regarding bolstering the resources to the department. 

Tolliver said he's seeking 20 additional officers, and said Laura Neuman has reacted positively during talks regarding her upcoming budget proposal. 

"I've been very impressed with how she's looking out for the needs of the county police," he said. "I found it refreshing when we did our budget presentation how reacted to our needs." 

Neuman will make her first budget proposal to the County Council on May 1.

Tolliver spoke Tuesday evening at the meeting of the Police-Community Relations Council in Odenton. 

Tolliver said that he expects more than 30 new officers to come out of the police academy later this year, and said he was encouraged that young people still appear to be considering law enforcement as a career option. 

But he said the addition of new officers has recently been offset by the retirement of older officers. He said the county's Deferred Option Retirement Program (DROP) has provisions that give officers an incentive to retire early. The department is in negotiations with the county to make adjustments to that program, he said. 

"I've had officers who say they want to stay," he said. "It's just a big revolving door."

Tolliver said that new officers would help the department upgrade its aging academy facility in Davidsonville, and could allow the department to re-install duty officers at each District station. 

"When someone comes to the door, they should not have to call headquarters or go and try to find someone," he said. 

Board President Speaks on School Safety

Tolliver's comments came alongside those of Andrew Pruski, the president of the Anne Arundel County School Board, who updated the public on issues relating to school security. 

Pruski said the security systems in place in Anne Arundel County are the envy of some other nearby school systems, and said they've been further improved since the fatal shooting of students at a school in Newtown, CT, in December. 

Police have installed School Resource Officer at al 18 high schools and most middle schools. 

"I think out intention ... is to eventually have one at every middle school and every high [school]," he said. "When it comes to the elementary level, it comes down to cost, support and what other mechanisms that we have in place. I think that could lead to further discussion."

A recent bill before the General Assembly would have directed casino money toward school resource officers in schools. The school board opposed the measure on the grounds that casino money was unpredictable. Pruski also said funding for mental health programs in schools needed to be part of the discussion.

Tolliver, for his part, said he supported the school resource officer program, while decrying the fact that it was needed. He pointed to a recent case at North County High School in which a former student entered the school without permission and was later found to have had weapons. 

On April 2, police said they found a student with a loaded gun in his backpack. 

On Wednesday at Old Mill High School, two teens were arrested after sneaking into the school, reportedly to socialize. One of the teens was found to have three knives in a backpack. 

"It's a damn shame we have to do that, but it's a necessity," he said. "Young people today are different then when we were in school. This is what our officers are up against."

See the attached video of Andrew Pruski speaking about the role of school resource officers.