The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office has released its Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report, outlining achievements in public safety, enforcement, and community outreach over the past year. Sheriff Steve Hall said the report reflects “a year of real progress toward our mission of keeping St. Mary’s County safe and connected.”
Public Safety and Enforcement
Traffic enforcement remained active with 2,443 crashes involving property damage, 517 injury crashes, and 13 fatal incidents. Deputies conducted more than 15,000 traffic stops and issued 6,500 citations.
Technology upgrades included the launch of the Tyler CAD RMS dispatch system, along with new Axon body cameras and Taser 10 models to enhance accuracy, safety, and accountability.
Deputies responded to 74,640 calls for service between July 2024 and June 2025.
Drug enforcement was a key focus, with narcotics seizures totaling $3.08 million, including $2 million in cocaine and $850,000 in fentanyl.
Budget and Outlook
The FY2025 budget totaled $66.5 million, up 7.4% from the previous year, with $42.4 million for law enforcement, $19.3 million for corrections, and $3.2 million in grants. The FY2026 budget is projected at $72.6 million.
As one of the nation’s oldest law enforcement agencies, founded in 1637, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office emphasized its ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability, and community trust. “We will continue to invest in our staff, equipment, and technology, and seize every opportunity to enhance our ability to serve and protect this community,” Sheriff Hall said.
Mental Health and Violence Prevention
The agency expanded its Community Mental Health Liaison and Co-Responder Program, training 129 officers and correctional staff in crisis intervention and connecting 150 individuals with treatment.
The Group Violence Intervention (GVI) Program also grew, hosting a Gun Violence Town Hall in January 2025 with federal and local partners to address “ghost guns” and firearm crime trends.
Detention and Rehabilitation
The Detention and Rehabilitation Center expansion reopened in January 2025, featuring new Safety Beds, inmate education tablets, and digital policy systems. Rehabilitation programs included Re-Entry Bootcamp, GVI Mentoring, Alcoholics Anonymous, GED classes, and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), serving over 1,300 inmates.
Recruitment and Training
Recruitment remained strong with 121 deputy applicants and 13 hires. Starting deputy salaries rose to $65,582 with signing bonuses of up to $15,000. FY2026 salaries will rise further, to $68,244 for deputies and $56,700 for correctional officers.
The Sheriff’s Office also supported continuing education through tuition reimbursement and celebrated academy graduations and promotions across multiple ranks.
Community Engagement and Wellness
Deputies participated in National Night Out, Shop with a Cop, Camp D.A.R.E., Special Olympics Torch Run, and neighborhood meetings to strengthen community partnerships. Internally, the agency expanded staff wellness programs, including counseling, peer support, and free use of the College of Southern Maryland’s Wellness and Aquatics Center.
