BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — For new Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough, 35 years at the Baltimore County Police Department wasn’t enough.
He came out of retirement when he was selected to lead the department.
“I quite frankly got a little restless and missed the job, missed the people. I love the organization, love the people, I love this county and it was the right thing to do," said McCullough.
Those 35 years in the department and decades spent living in the county give him a unique perspective from the top.
“I did the work in many specialized positions in this agency that help me understand the entire, the whole 360 the holistic environment of this police department," said McCullough.
The chief says he doesn’t want to make any major changes quickly, choosing instead to take time and evaluate the department.
He will have to deal with issues like officer retention and recruitment quickly.
“We focus on it day by day, we try to be creative. Me as a leader, I try to create an environment where our employees want to come every day where they feel empowered, where they feel supported, where they feel they have a quality of life at work," said McCullough.
Another issue is dealing with the mental aspect of policing at a time when trust in police is low. According to a pew research poll, trust in officers hit a record low in 2020 and has only improved slightly since then. Chief McCullough says it starts with leadership.
“I say it over and over again, if we treat our employees with respect and dignity then that translates into their performance out on the road and when they interact with the community. It makes it easier for them to treat the community with respect and dignity," said McCullough.
Chief McCullough took over the position on April 27.
