Gov. Martin O?Malley hopes to save an estimated $327,000 by shutting down the state police barrack in Annapolis as part of his 2009 budget plan, state officials say.
If his budget plan is approved by the legislature, the barrack would be closed by the beginning of the fiscal year and troopers currently stationed at the Annapolis barrack ? at Rowe Boulevard and Taylor Avenue ? would be transferred to the Glen Burnie barrack on Aviation Boulevard. However, some of the police communications officers will fill vacancies at other barracks, said state police spokeswoman Elena Russo.
Russo said state police welcome the change. “Nobody?s going to be losing their jobs at all. We?ll still be covering the same areas, and we?ll have more troopers on road,” she said.
Thirty sworn troopers, one mechanic and an administrative aide currently work out of the Annapolis barrack, according to 1st Sgt. David Jones.
“The number of officers serving Annapolis would not change,” said Christine Hansen, O?Malley?s deputy press secretary.
“If the decision [to close the barrack] is approved by the legislature, it would have no impact on the sworn strength,” Hansen said.
The Annapolis barrack now serves southern Anne Arundel County while Glen Burnie serves the county?s northern areas. The move would consolidate administrative duties and free more troopers from desk jobs and allow them to patrol the streets.
The proposal to close the barrack comes on the heels of a recent public safety meeting at an Eastport church where O?Malley promised city residents a crime-fighting initiative that would pool state resources and costs an estimated $500,000.
The “Capital City Safe Streets Initiative” calls for a partnership among Annapolis residents and city, county, state and federal officials to address daily safety fears, primarily in the public housing communities, Annapolis Police Chief Joseph Johnson said in a recent retirement announcement. The plan calls for more police presence in pubic housing communities, surveillance cameras and increasing state efforts to serve warrants to repeat offenders in the city.
