Caroline County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt Resolution 2025-011, designating the Maryland State Police as the primary law enforcement agency for state statutes governing junk and scrap metal dealers, secondhand precious metal dealers, pawn brokers and automated purchasing machines in the county.

Captain Rodney Helmer of the Sheriff’s Office told commissioners that when the original county resolutions were adopted in 2010 and 2015 the Maryland State Police lacked dedicated personnel to oversee these statewide responsibilities in the region. The state police now maintain assigned investigators for the Eastern Shore region who regularly handle investigations and holds; county and state personnel often coordinate on cases that cross county lines.

Why it matters: The resolution transfers operational oversight for statutory reporting, seizure holds and licensing coordination to the state police, allowing county sheriff’s office resources to focus elsewhere while preserving law‑enforcement continuity in the region.

Key details: Captain Helmer said the state police routinely take investigative leads in the region and maintain dedicated staff for the unit; adopting the resolution formalizes that arrangement. The board approved the resolution on a motion and second; commissioners voted aye without recorded dissent.

Provenance: Presentation and adoption of Resolution 2025-011 appear in transcript timecodes ~3775–4024.

Ending: County staff will implement the resolution and coordinate with the Maryland State Police for ongoing oversight and licensing matters.