Prince George’s County sheriff seeks more staff, clinical support as courthouse security obligations and evictions strain resources

Sheriff Michael Carr told the County Council’s Health, Human Services and Public Safety Committee that his office is operating under staffing pressures that include courthouse security mandates, high eviction activity and a rising need for behavioral‑health supports for deputies.

Malcolm Moody, the council’s budget analyst for the sheriff, presented the office’s FY26 proposed operating budget at about $65.9 million and noted a supplemental request in the $2.5–2.4 million range. The presentation described grant funding that supports 23 full‑time positions and said overall staffing totals are unchanged from the previous fiscal year.

Carr introduced senior staff and described operational challenges, including court security workload. He told the committee the Upper Marlboro courthouse has seen about 4,000 visitors a month and said a change in court staffing expectations — described in the meeting as a requirement emerging from Annapolis — would require two deputy sheriffs in every criminal courtroom and one deputy in civil courtrooms. "We still gonna be in a deficit because now with this mandate coming from the state, we will have to figure out ways to hire additional staffing," Carr said. He provided vacancy figures: 62 total vacancies, including about 34 sworn and 26 civilian vacancies.

Committee members raised domestic violence service levels and evictions. Carr said the sheriff’s office still serves the county for service of peace and protective orders, averaging "a high volume" and that peace orders are on the rise. He said the office has taken steps to make eviction activity more transparent and to coordinate resources: the office posts eviction addresses (not names) online to let residents and service providers find assistance, and the sheriff described working with Emergency Rental Assistance Program and social services. Carr said the office recently handled a large eviction effort at North Hill Apartments — about 195 eviction filings — and reported that many were administratively closed after outreach and resource coordination; on the first day 20 were carried out, the second day 6.

On mental health, Carr and members of the council said deputies and staff are exposed to high levels of stress when executing domestic violence, eviction and warrant duties. Assistant Sheriff Carr described a proposed behavioral health unit and asked the council to consider adding a clinical technician or similar clinical staff to provide psych services to deputies. Council Vice Chair Fisher and others emphasized the need to support staff: "Losing somebody from your agency because of mental health is something that, again, it resonates throughout your agency," a council member said.

Carr said the sheriff’s office supports a school‑based program with nine schools and about 650 youths and seeks to maintain or grow it, but he warned that mandated courtroom staffing could force repositioning of deputies away from some community roles. On the question of a new sheriff headquarters, OMB Director Stanley Early said funding to convert the former County Administration Building into a new headquarters is included in the capital budget; Early said design work is largely done and discussions remain about timing and details.

Why it matters: courthouse staffing mandates, eviction caseloads and deputy mental‑health needs affect county public safety operations and budget priorities. The sheriff asked the council to consider staffing, clinical support for employees and continued funding for community programs.

Looking ahead: the office is conducting a staffing study to quantify needs, seeks funding for clinical behavioral‑health staff and expects continued coordination with the county on a headquarters relocation.