Police Reorganize Public Information Office: McCullough Out, Armacost In

A reorganization of the Baltimore County Police Department media relations office is underway and could result in a streamlined operation of fire and police public communications, according to a senior county official.

Lt. Robert McCullough is scheduled to leave the office sometime next week after slightly more than a year in the job. He will become a senior aide to Chief Jim Johnson.

McCullough took over as spokesman for the department in November 2009 after the departure of Bill Toohey. McCullough had no prior media relations experience prior to his appointment to the position. His tenure in the office marked a change in how the department's media relations office had been staffed—typically with a civilian director and a sworn officer, usually a corporal, serving as the deputy spokesperson.

In the interim, the county will name Elise Armacost to lead the office responsible for providing information to the media and public about crimes.

Armacost is a former reporter who later served as the senior spokeswoman for Dutch Ruppersberger and Jim Smith when they each served as county executive.

Currently, Armacost is the lead spokesperson for the county fire department and emergency operations. She will continue to serve in that capacity as the county studies operations of the media relations offices in both the fire and police department with an eye toward consolidating the two into one office similar to Montgomery County.