FY 2024- BJA Baltimore County, Maryland

Baltimore County, Maryland is the third largest political subdivision in the State of Maryland, with a land mass of 598 square miles plus an additional 83 square miles of water, and a total estimated population of 846,161 (Census Bureau, July 2022 [rev.]). There are at least 31 identifiable communities situated in both urban and rural settings. Baltimore County’s Police Department is the nation’s 21st largest police department and the primary law enforcement agency within the county responding to over 750,000 calls for service a year. Thus, the demands to ensure community safety are complex.
Baltimore County, Maryland’s Police Department uses crime analysis and operational assessment to identify “hotspot” areas in the County that have precipitous increases in Category A crimes. Such “hotspots” of crime require a coordinated action plan, including deployment/redeployment of additional personnel to increase patrols and community policing in hotspot areas.
Baltimore County will use FY 2024 JAG funds for increased patrols to bolster the security of hotspot communities and increase community policing activities. Use of data and analytics and ongoing engagement with community partners will help disrupt violent crime, make communities safer, and enhance community relations.
Specifically, Baltimore County will use FY 2024 JAG funds to support six (6) Police Officers and one (1) Criminal Records Processor to address precipitous increases in crime in targeted “hotspot” areas within the County. “Hotspot policing” (an evidence-based law enforcement strategy) increases law enforcement and community policing activity that is necessary to combat crime, strengthen community safety, and build trust between law enforcement and the community.
Baltimore County, Maryland’s proposed FY 2024 JAG funding complies with BJA’s area of emphasis – Violent Crime Reduction. Moreover, expected 2024 JAG outcomes include reduction in Category A Offenses, increased trust between law enforcement and the community, and enhanced community safety.