From such modest beginnings, Amal Awad and Edward C. Jackson have risen to the highest posts in the Anne Arundel County and City of Annapolis police departments. As the first African American and female chief, Awad assumed her position with the county force in December. Jackson, also African American, was confirmed in July, 2019.
The two chiefs step into leadership roles at a challenging time for law enforcement. Nationally, civil unrest, the rise of white supremacy and militia groups, outrage against police brutality, and cries for police reform and “defunding” flash across the nightly news. The pandemic has added another layer of danger, both for police and the public they serve.
Through interviews with the chiefs and those closest to them, what emerges is a similar style and certain humility. They both understand that their most important mission is to gain and sustain public trust. They also share a common academic approach to policing, as well as a respectful understanding of their department’s separate roles and unique duties.
A Shared Geography
According to a recent U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics Census of state and local law enforcement, Maryland has more than 140 law enforcement agencies. In Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, these include not only the two respective departments, but also the Anne Arundel County Office of the Sheriff, State Police, and the Maryland Capitol police. As a division of the State Department of General Services, Capitol police provide security and police services to state buildings, parking lots, and garages. Anne Arundel County and City of Annapolis police each limit their authority to their primary jurisdictions. However, they frequently overlap. Because the city is in Anne Arundel County, county police have the authority to enforce laws in the city.
It is often not clear-cut. Forest Drive is an example. The roadway crisscrosses county/city boundaries. Any incident closer to the Safeway shopping center draws city police. But an event at the eastern end of the road, toward Annapolis Roads, would draw county police.
More often, the departments overlap due to specific requests. Because Annapolis attracts large celebrations, protests, and other crowd-drawing events, Chief Jackson is never reticent to ask county police to augment his forces. During the Thousand Man March in Annapolis last year, county police assisted with traffic control. Navy football games also typically involve the two departments, both at the stadium.
One of the most dramatic examples of collaboration occurred just months ago. Following the January 6 assault on the United States Capitol, the FBI sent warnings to state capitals across the country of potential spill-over riots. Sunday, January 17 was a targeted date.
“That morning, when I arrived at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, I saw a sea of law enforcement ready to protect the city,” Chief Jackson says. “I have never seen anything more beautiful in my entire career.” His vision swept a “sea” of police from Anne Arundel, Prince George’s County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, State Police, Capitol Police, and the National Guard. He compared the show of force to Pope John Paul II’s visit to Baltimore in 1995.
“It was such a peaceful morning. People were out walking their dogs, jogging. Several came up to thank us,” he recalls. “It was almost idyllic. Anne Arundel County was among the first in their effort.”
“Elite” Units
Anne Arundel County Police Chief Awad dislikes the term “elite.” So do city officers. Says Chief Awad, “All of our specialty assignment positions are of importance and value.” It is typical of police and the self-effacing nature of their profession to focus on the team. They prefer “special” or “unique.” But certain units are, indeed, “elite.” And the public is well-served in having them.
City of Annapolis Bomb Unit
One of the area’s most unique units is not in a police department. Housed within the Annapolis fire department, the city’s bomb unit—which provides coverage for the city and county—is one of only seven statewide and 400 in the country that are accredited. Its six certified bomb technicians also serve as emergency medical technicians and fire investigators, as well as perform other duties. What makes theirs such a highly regarded unit is the rigorous training. Members attend the six-week program at the FBI’s Hazardous Devices School in Huntsville, Alabama. Established in 1971, the FBI school has trained and certified more than 20,000 local, state, and federal first responders and bomb technicians. Technicians must be re-certified every three years since training changes as new threats emerge. According to Deputy Chief Carroll Spriggs, the unit began in the early 1980s when Olympic soccer came to Annapolis. Spriggs says calls about suspicious packages have increased since 9/11, now averaging 10–15 calls a month evenly divided between the city and county.
“We use x-ray equipment to determine the contents of a package. Then we evaluate the entire scene and any associated threat to determine if we should utilize a robot or disarm the device manually,” Spriggs says.
The unit also employs four highly trained dogs. Each is assigned to a technician. Typically, the dogs scan Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium before football games and support city and county SWAT teams whenever called.
“Ours is a very competitive field,” Spriggs says. “We train hard and learn a lot. We get to see things most people never see.”
Positive Impact Program (PIP)
Another unit unique to Annapolis is its reentry program, a targeted effort to help men and women returning to the community after incarceration. Just one year old, the program has spurred interest from the Anne Arundel County Police Department.
“PIP” may be new to Anne Arundel County, but similar programs exist across the country. Baltimore City has had such a unit for years. Familiar with its success, Chief Jackson tapped a former colleague who developed that program to begin one in Annapolis. Officer Robert Horne joined the force last June.
Horne’s goal is to “catch returning citizens and those most vulnerable to commit crime in our communities and build relationships between them and police. It doesn’t always mean we have to arrest people. We can be a bridge between police and the community.”
A deeply spiritual man, Horne serves as a volunteer Islamic Chaplain at the Maryland Diagnostic Correctional Center. He adopts a “holistic approach” to his work. Using many of the same service providers who helped in Baltimore, he plugs returning citizens into job training, housing, and “all the services they would need to combat recidivism.” Still in its early stages, the program includes locally well-known Bishop Charles Carroll. The Lighthouse shelter, Gaudenzia, and Maryland Reentry Resource Center also offer support.
Horne notes they first had to overcome disbelief that police would help them. “These individuals do not trust cops.” But police often are first responders and in a position to help. Horne knows that gives them credibility. As he says, “Who else would meet them at the gate when they are released?”
Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT)
Last year, this county police unit achieved worldwide acclaim when Crisis Intervention Team International named it the best “Team of the Year.” Few police agencies anywhere in the country have such a unit, let alone one so highly regarded.
The CIT integrates county police with county mental health professionals. The goal is to treat what causes the crisis, not the symptoms. On any crisis call, available 24/7, a police officer responds with an experienced and highly-trained clinician.
Teams respond to crisis situations anywhere in the county including Annapolis. Chief Jackson readily admits “We depend upon them.” Sgt. Kam Cooke, County police information officer, explains “The officer is there for safety, and the clinician to determine what further help that individual needs.”
CIT Coordinator Lt. Steve Thomas and police leaders praise Jen Corbin, the Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency’s Crisis Response Director, and her team with the unit’s success. Thomas, Corbin, and their CIT colleagues exemplify the best in “community policing” by diverting individuals from the judicial system into the health system. Staff follow-up with individuals to ensure they receive the services they need. In recent years the opioid crisis has highlighted their work which has helped countless people with addiction to find paths to recovery.
The team also trains rank and file officers to recognize symptoms of mental illness and substance abuse on routine patrols. Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman has named CIT “one of the greatest things in Anne Arundel County government.”
Aviation Unit
Anne Arundel County has had its own aviation unit since 1991. The unit is expecting the arrival of a new 2020 Bel 407 GSi helicopter to replace its 2003 aircraft later this year. Three fulltime pilots undergo training annually at Bel’s facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
Sgt. Shannon Mack, the unit’s supervisor, has been with it since 1999. “We are used for everything any time someone needs an aerial platform to perform their work.”
While the Aviation Unit typically works in areas of the county, it also responds to city calls. Most often these happen at night. Sgt. Mack cites a recent incident in which a burglar was trapped in the woods near the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County SPCA off Bay Ridge Road. The helicopter’s thermal cameras located the suspect who was soon apprehended by city police.
Few people realize that the unit does more than police work. Given their knowledge of the topography and unique abilities, pilots perform surveillance flights for other county agencies. They also assist federal agencies. Annually, they fly for the U.S. Department of Agriculture into an area east of the Alleghany range to distribute vaccine-containing baits as part of the wild raccoon rabies vaccine program. The FBI seeks their support for surveillance during presidential visits. “We aren’t only a police asset,” Mack says. “We are a county asset. “
K9 Unit
While the county and city each have a K9 unit, their working relationship is one of the best examples of police collaboration. Since 9/11 the demand for working dogs has increased. Working dogs now populate several local police divisions. City Police Sgt. Chris Tucker, the unit’s supervisor, helped to establish the Maryland Capitol police unit which has three single-purpose explosive dogs. The Sheriff’s Office is supported by three dog teams, including two trained in explosives mostly to monitor the courthouse. The Bomb unit, which covers Annapolis and the county, also employs single-purpose bomb sniffing dogs. Typically, a dog is assigned to one officer and the pair train together.
As Tucker notes, “The K9 world is a small world. We need to work together.”
A scenario in the fall of 2016 involving M13 gang members showcases the close working relationship. The incident unfolded near Quiet Waters Park. Calls began coming into the city and county. Both responded.
“We had to communicate and make decisions quickly to determine roles and responsibilities,” Tucker says. While one team searched through yards for evidence and suspects, the other team entered the park doing the same, quickly clearing it.
City and county K9 units regularly patrol Navy football games and other events at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, both before and during the events. K9 units are typically supportive. Their goal is “to locate and find.” Working dogs also routinely scan the grounds around the State House complex.
Officers assigned to K9 units love their work, but as Tucker notes it carries a unique responsibility. “They have a job that comes home with you.”
Common Views
Few institutions in our country are under more of an assault than law enforcement. Whether it is from highly-publicized instances of alleged police brutality, or localized stories about “bad” cops, police face a near-crushing challenge to reform their departments—or be reformed.
Both Chief Awad and Chief Jackson are experienced enough to understand that change is inevitable in policing. Awad comes to Anne Arundel County after 20 years with the Prince George’s County Police Department and two as chief of the Hyattsville department. Jackson served 22 years with Baltimore City and taught criminal justice for 14 years at Baltimore City Community College. They welcome the discussion, but bristle at some of the suggestions.
Civilian Review Boards
Awad and Jackson acknowledge that police civilian boards are not new. Jackson has 20 years of experience with them from his time in Baltimore. Both stress the need to proceed with caution. Awad notes, “We need to staff such a board with people who understand what police officers do.” Jackson says the same. “Members should receive education to understand the nature of policing before they pass judgement on an officer’s actions.”
“Defund” Police
Jackson argues this suggestion, calling it “potentially very destructive.” He agrees we may need to “do policing differently, but don’t defund.” Instead? “Re-imagine or repurpose.” His dream team is to have “all 140-plus officers plus clinicians and social workers.” Awad is already on that path with the Crisis Intervention Unit, but she, too, underscores the need to provide officers with more “awareness and de-escalation training.”
Greatest Threat to the Public
Awad states “there are too many variables to be able to identify the biggest threat.” Jackson claims a major threat is hate groups and terrorism, both foreign and domestic, citing recent FBI warnings.
Greatest Threat to Police
According to Jackson, it can be as “simple” as an officer pulling a car over and not knowing if a gang member or member of a militia group is at the wheel. He also cites COVID and infectious diseases in general. “We’re exposed to the elements 24/7.” Awad calls the greatest threat to her agency “something that would adversely affect our ability to serve our community, such as an incident in which there is an erosion of public trust.”
How the Public Can Help
Both chiefs underscore the critical importance of building trust between the community and police. They encourage the public to volunteer in civilian programs. They also welcome direct involvement with officers, whether it is engaging them in conversation in a city neighborhood or taking part in one of the county’s four district community relations councils.
“Get involved,” Jackson says. “Take ownership for your neighborhood. Collaborate with police. Ask them, how can we help you?” Awad regrets that the pandemic has prevented her from interacting more directly with citizens. She looks forward to getting into communities to have face-to-face conversations because “we rely on the help of our community members to perform our role as public guardians.”
A Final Word
What comes through in talking with both police chiefs and their top leaders is a sense of highly motivated, dedicated professionals under intense scrutiny. Passionate about keeping the public safe—as “guardians” of the peace—they flinch when yet another flashpoint portrays the profession badly anywhere in the country. Often the “bad” gets more attention than the “good.” Police know that any negative incident on the evening news or in morning headlines can paint them all with the same brush. “Officers are people too,” many say in reflective moments.
As the city’s new police chief reminds us, “Cops mostly deal with people at their worst. So they love it when you come up to them and let them know you appreciate them.”
Lisa Hillman is a local writer and author of the memoir “Secret No More.”
