Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan aims to invest $500 million to 'Re-fund the Police'

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced on Monday a three-year, $500 million investment in his Re-Fund The Police initiative to increase salaries and funding for scholarships and grants.

Joined by several leaders from the state’s police agencies, Hogan reaffirmed his support for law enforcement, and for increased crime control across the state. 

"Even in the most progressive cities all across the country, leaders are now following our lead and admitting that instead of defunding, they need more investment in public safety," said Governor Hogan. "There is nothing more important than addressing the violent crime crisis in our state and our effort to re-fund the police and to give them the support and the resources they need to do their jobs more effectively."

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In order to re-fund the police, the governor has allocated $220 million for historic salary increases and bonuses for law enforcement officers to help with recruitment and retention, as well as police scholarship programs.

An additional $137 million will go towards boosting aid for local jurisdictions statewide, while $37 million has been set aside for Neighborhood Safety grants.

Governor Hogan also announced that he will reintroduce legislation to address violent crime during the upcoming session of the Maryland General Assembly.

Specifically, Hogan plans to introduce the Re-Fund The Police Act to lawmakers to make the increase in local aid permanent, and The Violent Firearms Offender Act, which significantly toughens penalties for offenders who use and illegally possess firearms, as well as those who illegally supply firearms to criminals.

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In hopes of getting more offenders off the streets – beginning in high crime areas in Baltimore City – Governor Hogan has directed Secretary Robert L. Green of the Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services and the Division of Parole & Probation to begin aggressively tracking all open warrants.

Governor Hogan first announced the Re-Fund the Police Initiative in October 2021. At the time, he said, "defunding the police is dangerous, radical, far-left lunacy."

"The reality is that our police are underfunded and under attack. To reverse the tide of rising crime, we need to stop demonizing and sabotaging the dedicated men and women who risk their lives every single day to keep the rest of us safe. We cannot defund the police, we need to re-fund the police," he said.

The complete breakdown of Governor Hogan’s three-year, $500 million investment in his Re-Fund the Police policy is below: 

• $220 million for historic salary increases and bonuses for law enforcement officers to help ensure more competitive compensation and to help with recruitment and retention, as well as police scholarship programs
• $137 million for a 50% increase in state police aid to local jurisdictions statewide
• $50 million for major capital improvements for Maryland State Police barracks and a new tactical services building for the Special Operations Division
• $37 million to fully fund victim services providers
• $30 million in Neighborhood Safety Grants to support hardware upgrades, lighting, cameras, and increased security services for community organizations, business districts, and main streets

As previously announced, the initiative also includes:

• A 100% state-funded match for all Crime Stoppers rewards that lead to arrests
• $24 million to create a new Accountability Resources Fund, which will be used to provide more body cams, deescalation training, and other critical tools for state and local police agencies
• $1 million for the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association and the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association to further expand operational training and support.