Hagerstown City Council Reviews Public Safety Discussions and Outlines Next Steps

HAGERSTOWN, MD News (10/10/2024) – On October 8, 2024, the Hagerstown City Council revisited key public safety and social service discussions held with community stakeholders over the past two months. These discussions, originally initiated following a letter from Senator Paul Corderman, brought attention to critical public safety and social issues in the city. The October 8 session allowed council members to reflect on the information shared by various agencies and propose actionable next steps to address the community’s concerns.

Recap of Key Public Safety Discussions

The council has held a series of six public safety meetings between August and October 2024, engaging a wide range of community stakeholders. These discussions focused on various challenges, from law enforcement collaboration to social services, homelessness, addiction treatment, and judicial system issues. Below is a recap of the main points from each meeting:

August 13, 2024: Community Health and Harm Reduction Program

The first meeting centered on the Washington County Health Department’s Harm Reduction Program, which provides free clean needles to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. While distributing 16,000 needles this year, the department reported collecting 19,000 used needles, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in reducing improperly discarded syringes. However, concerns about needle litter in public spaces led to the proposal of new initiatives, such as:

• A partnership between Reach’s Bridge to Change program and the Health Department to include needle cleanup efforts.
• The creation of a hotline where residents can report needle concerns for prompt action.

August 20, 2024: Law Enforcement and Judicial System Challenges

In this meeting, representatives from the State’s Attorney’s office, including State’s Attorney Gina Cirincion and Deputy State’s Attorney Kenny Shapiro, discussed challenges with prosecuting cases. A major issue was public reluctance to cooperate with law enforcement, leading to fewer witnesses coming forward. This makes plea deals more common than desired due to a lack of actionable evidence. There were discussions about:

• The need for a mental health court to address crimes rooted in behavioral health issues, similar to the existing drug and veterans’ courts.
• Lobbying the state for increased staffing in the courthouse to better handle case volumes.

Judge Brett Wilson mentioned that despite staffing limitations, criminal case adjudications had decreased slightly from last year, a positive step for the system. Law enforcement representatives highlighted that juveniles committing crimes face minimal consequences due to state legislation, further complicating efforts to maintain public safety.

August 27, 2024: Public Safety and Police Staffing

Local law enforcement leaders, including Hagerstown Police Department (HPD) Chief Paul Kifer and Sheriff Doug Albert, emphasized the ongoing challenges related to police recruitment and retention. Despite hiring 19 officers last year, HPD lost an equal number, including 16 who left for other occupations. With limited staffing, HPD relies heavily on technology, including surveillance cameras, drones, and a telephonic watch center, to maintain safety with fewer officers on the streets.

Collaboration among local law enforcement agencies (HPD, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Maryland State Police) was underscored as essential to handling the high volume of calls—154,000 combined between HPD and WCSO in 2024 alone. Crime statistics indicated a downward trend over the past five years, contradicting public perceptions that downtown Hagerstown is unsafe.

September 17, 2024: Social Services and Support for Vulnerable Populations

A key focus of this meeting was the collaboration between nonprofit organizations that support the homeless and vulnerable populations in Hagerstown. Representatives from Reach of Washington County, Horizon Goodwill Industries, Sheppard Pratt, and the Washington County Community Action Council discussed their ongoing efforts, including:

• Providing services like housing assistance, financial literacy, job training, and individualized case management.
• Emphasizing that homelessness is not transient, countering claims that services are attracting people from outside the community.

A proposal was made to create a centralized resource guide and potentially develop a mobile app to inform residents about available services. Affordable housing and mental health services were highlighted as critical needs that require further legislative support.

September 24, 2024: Department of Social Services and Juvenile Services

This discussion with representatives from the Washington County Department of Social Services and the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services addressed the challenges facing at-risk youth. Both departments emphasized the importance of early intervention and community reinvestment to prevent youth from falling into criminal behavior. Social services are strategically located downtown to ensure accessibility to public transportation, allowing those most in need to access these services. The discussion also highlighted:

• The necessity of creating foster homes and mentorship programs to support vulnerable youth.
• Strengthening partnerships between the city, county, and nonprofit organizations to improve outcomes for young people.

October 1, 2024: Addiction and Recovery Services

The final meeting in the series focused on addiction treatment and recovery services. Several recovery-focused organizations, including Brooke’s House, Gatekeepers, and Survival Recovery, discussed their work in supporting individuals recovering from substance use disorders. Key issues raised during the discussion included:

• The need for affordable housing and sober living facilities that are held to high standards of accountability.
• The proposal to create a local oversight task force for sober houses to ensure proper support for residents in recovery.
• Concerns over individuals being prematurely discharged from sober living facilities and left without proper support, often leading to re-incarceration or homelessness.

October 8, 2024: Council’s Reflection and Next Steps

During the October 8 session, City Administrator Scott Nicewarner provided a detailed summary of these meetings, allowing council members to revisit the challenges discussed by various agencies. Several key actions were proposed by council members:

• Follow-up Meetings: The council agreed to organize follow-up meetings with county and state officials to further address the issues highlighted during the discussions. The council emphasized the importance of engaging with state legislators, particularly Senator Corderman, to seek legislative support for initiatives like affordable housing and mental health courts.
• Drafting a Formal Response: Council members discussed drafting a formal letter to Senator Corderman, outlining the findings from these discussions and inviting further collaboration. The letter will emphasize the city’s progress on issues within its control and seek state-level support for broader legislative changes.
• Sober House Oversight: The council expressed strong support for creating a local task force to oversee sober living facilities. This task force would ensure that these facilities meet high standards and provide proper care for residents, reducing the risk of individuals being left without support after leaving treatment programs.
• Affordable Housing and Legislative Advocacy: Addressing the ongoing shortage of affordable housing remains a top priority for the council. Members discussed potential legislative efforts and partnerships with nonprofits and county officials to develop long-term solutions to the housing crisis.

Moving Forward

Hagerstown’s public safety discussions have revealed a clear need for continued collaboration across multiple sectors—local government, law enforcement, social services, and state legislators. While the city has taken significant steps to address many of the concerns raised, several issues, particularly those related to mental health services and affordable housing, require state-level intervention.

The council will continue to engage with county and state partners, ensuring that the city’s legislative agenda reflects the community’s most pressing needs. By building on the relationships formed during these discussions, Hagerstown is committed to fostering a safer, healthier community for all residents.

Story by multiple RFHC contributors

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