Civilianization identifies existing or new work duties that may be handled by civilians rather than sworn officers. It builds staff capacity in the department on a parallel path to adding police officers and maximizes limited sworn personnel resources.

• 35 Investigative Specialists in 2023, with more in future years
• 9 civilian positions dedicated to support the Mayor’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy
• 12 civilian support positions in Telephone Reporting Unit (TRU)
• Restoring additional civilian positions cut from the 2021 budget

• Frees up officers from fulfilling administrative roles
• Saves on overtime costs
• Larger detective force than previously existed
• Civilian investigators for low-level crimes
• Redeploys officers back to patrol
• Realigns the staffing budget

• District Detective Units
• Cold Case
• Crime Scene Technicians
• Forensics Unit
• Executive Secretaries
• Fleet Support
• Internal Affairs
• Recruitment/Human Resources
• Background Investigators
• Academy Instructors
• IT Specialists and Support
• Fiscal Services
• Crime Analytics
• Records Management
• Public Relations

Investigative Specialist is a new classification that would create a civilian detective corps that would be larger than what BPD currently has in its staffing plan. The BPD would be among the first in the nation with this classification and has the potential to set a national standard on staffing allocations for law enforcement agencies.  

The plan would add 35 investigators to the budget in 2023, with more than 135 additional positions identified for future civilianization efforts scheduled for 2024-2026.

12 Police Information Technician positions will be added.

35 Investigative Specialists will be added to the staffing plan for FY2023. An additional 135 additional positions identified for future civilianization efforts are scheduled for FY2024-FY2026.

• High-level/complex violent crime investigations
• Street patrol duties
• Servicing of warrants/making arrests

In 2021, the plan envisioned the department growing to 2,785 sworn members and 750 civilian members.

In 2022, the staffing plan calls for 2,605 sworn members and 925 civilian members.

As of January 1, 2022, state law mandates that the department be composed of no less than 20% civilian employees. As of April 2022, civilians make up 18.5% of the department's employees.

No active sworn members of the department will lose their jobs as a result of the plan. The department is replacing 30 vacant sworn positions with 35 civilian investigators positions starting FY2023. Future phases will be implemented in future budget years but will require additional funding to achieve.

Civilian investigators would be required to complete at least a one-month training curriculum before they are assigned to a section.

Civilian investigators will focus on low-level crimes, internal affairs cases, background investigations and intelligence-gathering. Civilians would only be assisting in investigations of homicides or other violent crimes if they are categorized by the BPD as cold cases.

The plan is cost-neutral and no additional appropriations will be needed in FY2023. Future civilian investigator positions will require supplemental funding in future years.

One of the advantages of the plan is to reduce overtime costs by supplementing the current workforce with new full time hires.

baltimorepolice.org/careers/civilian-careers