public safety

Democrat Calvin Ball is creating safer communities through historic investments, inclusive outreach, and improved transparency and accountability. Record investments in public safety have provided the Howard County Police Department with the full resources needed to protect our community, including the largest increase in sworn personnel in 15 years. Calvin Ball established a Police Accountability Board and expanded the county’s body worn camera program to provide unprecedented accountability and transparency. As a result, crime is down in almost every major category, including violent crime, which has seen a reduction of almost 40 percent compared to the previous administration.

The Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services has also seen record investments under Calvin Ball after years of consecutive deficits under the previous administration. Under his leadership, the fire department has added 80 new positions over four years compared to just 57 under the previous administration.

Additional accomplishments include:

• Reducing property crime by 23 percent and reducing aggravated assaults by nearly 50%.
• Investing in new fire stations, like the new Waterloo Station that opened last month.
• Columbia named the safest community in American for four years in a row