Sheriff Mike Evans plans 10 year's of improvements in department

Editor's note: As The Bay Net reports many crime stories, it is time to investigate the state of law enforcement from the point of view of the three county sheriffs in the area. This interview with Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans is the first of the these three interviews.

Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans reports his department has had some good personnel funding in 2008, resulting in the addition of five new deputy positions. “Two are currently in the academy and will become deputies in September.” Evans indicated that two more recruits will begin formal academy training in October class and graduate next March.

The second-term sheriff admits that his almost six years in office required a lot of hard work. “I don’t want to say [the Sheriff’s Department] was broken, but there were things about the department that had to change.”

Evans and staff created, and are six years into, a 10-year plan. “We implement another part of the plan each year, and we’re right on schedule.”

New deputies in Calvert County earn almost $44,000 their first year. Evans reports because of these attractive salaries, the department very rarely has to advertise for new deputies. He did admit that he will be recruiting corrections officers in the near future.

Currently, the department is in the process of converting its white-based color scheme for patrol cars to black and white.” After some study, it was determined that black and white (color scheme) is more recognizable as police. Visibility is key to deterring crime.”

Evans admits that the department has been taxed in the northern parts of Calvert County. “We don’t have people living here committing crime, for the most part. It is people who drive into the county, do a crime and then run back out.” Evans went on to state that the department has created a special unit and stepped up patrols in the northern end of Calvert to help deter future crimes.

Calvert also has traditionally had problems with traffic accidents, especially alcohol-related accidents and fatalities. “We have already had five such cases this year.

Because so much traffic in the county moves over a very limited system of roads, traffic has increased dramatically in Calvert. The department has now created a special traffic unit to deal with the increased danger.

“It is a three-week course consisting of seven two-hour training sessions for citizens wishing to learn more firsthand what it is like to be a deputy and enforce the laws,” said Evans, describing the first citizens' police academy in Calvert.. He indicated the favorite class is the final shooting course where participants have to make split-second decisions about whom to shoot and who is the good guy in a rapid-paced scenario.

Over all, Evans thinks the Calvert County Sheriff’s Department is adequately staffed, and there is real progress being made to stem the increase in theft and burglary. “We have learned to live within the confines of the budget, and we don’t have a lot of serious and violent crime. For that we are fortunate.”

To learn more about the Calvert County Sheriff’s Department, readers are encouraged to visit www.calvertcountysheriff.us. The department also encourages using e-mail to report crimes in addition to calling in crime news. “I encourage people to e-mail me directly with any news they may have,” said Evans. “They can e-mail me at evansem@co.cal.md.us.

“The more we get citizens involved, the better the crime situation will become.” Evans stated that he considers his position working for the people who elected him, and he intends to make every effort to do the best for them in everything the department does. “The county commissioners provide the funding, but we work for the people of Calvert County.”