Maryland Town Suspends Entire Police Force Resulting in Public Outcry and Confusion
A small Maryland town has announced that it will be suspended its entire police force, leaving many residents concerned and confused about the decision.
Ridgely, Maryland, has made headlines after its governing commission announced the suspension, with pay, of the entire Ridgely Police Department pending an investigation by the Office of State Prosecutor.
According to the Associated Press, the decision to disband the police department was not adequately communicated to the community, leaving residents feeling disregarded and demanding transparency from their officials.
“What’s very concerning is that they didn’t communicate with us in an honest and open way,” one resident explained to AP. “Treat us with respect. We’re adults — thinking, rational adults who deserve the truth.”
“It doesn’t add up,” said a business owner who has been in Ridgley since 1983. “Everybody is skeptical about what happened. We just want to know how and why.”
Ridgely, a small town with roughly 1600 residents, relied on its police force of half a dozen officers for public safety. In the absence of local law enforcement, neighboring agencies, such as the county’s Sheriff’s Office, have stepped in to respond to calls within Ridgely’s boundaries.
While the exact reasons behind the disbanding of the police department remain unclear, some speculate that anti-police sentiment, particularly following the death of George Floyd, may have played a role. The nationwide calls over the past several years for police defunding and reallocation of funds toward social services have resonated in some communities, potentially contributing to staffing issues within police departments.
Staffing shortages have become a widespread challenge for law enforcement agencies nationwide, with many individuals simply declining to be police officers in this current political climate. Pittsburg, for example, was recently forced to announce changes to its department, enacting a policy that will result in officers not responding to “non-emergency” calls at night, including theft, harassment, and burglary.
