Calvin ball’s record on:
public safety
Driving Crime Down in Major Categories
Under County Executive Ball’s leadership, the County’s violent crime rate is down nearly 40 percent, property crimes have declined by more than 20%, and aggravated assaults are down nearly 50 percent when compared to the previous administration.
Supporting Full Staffing of the Police Department
Democrat Calvin Ball has added 24 additional patrol positions to the Howard County Police Department, the largest increase in sworn personnel in 15 years, making a critical investment to improve response times, support community policing, and address emerging crimes such as human trafficking.
Increasing Transparency and Accountability
As County Executive, Calvin Ball fully funded and appointed Howard County’s Police Accountability Board to review the outcome of complaint investigations and identify trends that could improve policing. He also implemented, funded, and expanded Howard County’s body-worn camera program to all sworn officers in the police department and sheriff’s office, a critical step toward accountability and transparency.
Safest Community in United States
Columbia has been named the Safest City in America for four consecutive years. The rating was based upon an examination of data on home and community safety, natural disaster risk and financial safety.
Focusing on Major Investigations
Under the Ball Administration, law enforcement has focused resources on major criminal activity and removing the most dangerous criminals from our community, including several individuals from the “59 Hoover” criminal gang who were indicted on charges that include murder, attempted murder, robbery, assaults, weapons offenses, and felony drug distribution earlier this year.
Appointing Diverse Law Enforcement Leadership
County Executive Ball appointed the first woman and the first Black police chief in the history of Howard County, the first Asian-American police chief, and the first woman chief of the fire department.
Adding Critical Positions to the Fire Department
County Executive Ball has provided resources to add 83 positions to the Department of Fire and Rescue Services over the past four years compared to just 57 new positions during the previous four years, allowing the department to meet national standards of four fire personnel on each piece of rescue equipment.
Investing in Fire Stations and Equipment
Calvin Ball has invested in capital improvements to make our communities safer, including construction of the new Waterloo Station in Jessup and planning for a new station in North Columbia, along with the renovation of the Banneker Station in Columbia and capital investments at other stations across the county. County Executive Ball also oversaw the purchase of several pieces of important fire equipment.
Supporting Volunteers
To support the volunteer firefighters who provide critical services, County Executive Ball distributed $500,000 in grants to volunteer fire departments in Elkridge, Clarksville, Ellicott City, West Friendship, and Lisbon. These funds will support recruitment and retention efforts that were put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Increasing Access to Safety
Under County Executive Ball, the number of rural properties with ready access to a water cistern for fire suppression grew by 16 percent. The total square miles of water coverage also increased by over 10 square miles.