Updates from the Governor
February 1: Protecting our First Responders
Dear Friend,
The primary responsibility of any government is the safety of its Citizens. Today we came together to improve public safety in our communities and give our emergency first responders the tools they need to keep us safe.
Together with Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith, Colonel Terence B. Sheridan of the Maryland State Police, and emergency first responders from throughout our State, we announced a multi-year effort to overhaul the fleet of the Maryland State Police MedEvac helicopters.
Since the creation of the Maryland State Police Aviation Command in 1961, over 120,000 injured Marylanders have been flown to lifesaving trauma centers around our State. Today, we made a commitment to protect this important priority and enhance the capabilities of our emergency response teams who deliver critically injured patients to lifesaving care in the most efficient way possible.
Earlier this year, we announced new legislation to expand DNA fingerprinting for violent offenders, and we created a new Violence Prevention Unit to monitor, track, and supervise 200 of the State's most at-risk juvenile offenders to keep our neighborhoods safe.
But giving our law enforcement officials and emergency first responders the tools and resources they need to keep us safe is the most important responsibility that we have as One Maryland to safeguard the lives of our Citizens.
If we expect our first responders to be there for us, we have to be there to protect and support them as we fight for the health and well-being of all Marylanders.
Sincerely,
Martin O’Malley
Governor
