If you were under the impression that the most powerful law enforcement agencies in the State of Maryland were the state police you would have to guess again. While there are few positions more powerful than sheriffs, they are not the most powerful either. The Natural Resources Police have the broadest range of law enforcement and conservation responsibilities in the state. They also have the full arresting authority of the state police.They are law enforcement agents, conservationists, teachers, community activists, and public servants.
In Calvert County they are particularly important because they have jurisdiction on public lands and all waterways. Calvert is surrounded by water on three sides and has several parks. In addition we have special needs because of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Dominion LNG plant, and two naval installations. In the case of Dominion LNG, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Department has a special relationship in which they patrol the waterways next to the plant, providing security. Were there an issue beyond those basic patrols however, the Natural Resources Police would be called in.
The NRP’s broad ranges of responsibility are unique. In addition to enforcing laws on the water and on land, they also fill the roles of teacher and guide to those same sportsmen and watermen whose activities are required to be in bounds. The Natural Resources Police are also first responders with special training to accompany their responsibilities to the Department of Homeland Security. They provide over 9,300 homeland security sweeps per year. They also fulfill special responsibilities to the Food and Drug administration regarding oyster inspection guidelines.
The State of Maryland also expects NRP to meet responsibilities for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. That being said there are few if any funds made available to NRP by the Federal Government for these federally mandated activities. At times, when federal dollars were available, Governor O’Malley chose to divide that money among counties and municipalities for their terror prevention and emergency preparedness. That is a noble thing to do but it is done so by once again putting the Natural Resources Police on the back burner.
This list or NRP responsibilities and mandates could go on and on. Over time NRP has been the State of Maryland’s most under-appreciated workhorse. We as citizens may never encounter an NRP officer, but they are in high demand. More than ever, responsibilities falling under their jurisdiction are increasing. A few years ago Maryland fell victim to the largest rockfish poach in the state’s history. NRP was unable to stop it. Why? There simply are not enough officers to meet the breadth of demands we place on them. As a result they are now a reactionary force. As recently as 2005 they prided themselves as being proactive and seeking out the violations and educating the public.
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