PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. – Local leaders are raising alarms that the federal government’s sweeping crime crackdown in Washington, D.C., could be creating unintended consequences for neighboring Prince George’s County.
Federal Takeover in D.C.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to assume control of policing in the District of Columbia. Since then, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi reported that more than 600 arrests have been made and nearly 90 illegal guns seized.
The surge in federal enforcement has brought a heavy presence of agencies such as the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Park Police, who have been patrolling D.C. neighborhoods and making arrests.
But officials across the border in Maryland worry that this concentration of federal activity in the capital is pushing both crime and unhoused individuals into nearby communities.
Concerns Along the D.C.-Maryland Line
Prince George’s County Council Vice Chair Krystal Oriadha said the effects are already being felt, particularly in Black and Latino neighborhoods that straddle the D.C.-Maryland border.
“We know we have a shortage of police officers here in Prince George’s County,” Oriadha said. “Some of the complaints I hear a lot in our communities is wanting to feel safe. A lot of people are fearful of what the dynamic will mean—especially when you see a huge number of people being laid off. It’s a melting pot of disaster.”
She added that residents in vulnerable neighborhoods are worried about whether the county has the resources to manage an influx of crime or displaced residents from D.C.
Jurisdiction Confusion Adds Risk
Councilmember Wanika Fisher voiced additional concerns about overlapping law enforcement responsibilities. She noted that while local departments like PGPD and D.C.’s Metropolitan Police understand jurisdictional boundaries, federal agents are less familiar with the region’s complicated enforcement landscape.
“If you’re not regular law enforcement like the amazing men and women in PGPD, the amazing men and women in Metro Police in D.C., they don’t understand the jurisdiction difference,” Fisher said. “And so that’s what keeps me up, that’s what worries me about my residents.”
Staffing Shortages Hamper PGPD
The concerns are compounded by the fact that the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) is already facing a significant manpower shortage. The department currently has about 1,500 officers, well below its authorized strength of 1,800.
That leaves the county short by 300 to 350 officers, a gap that makes it more difficult to respond to calls for service and maintain a visible police presence in neighborhoods.
County officials have rolled out aggressive recruitment campaigns, including outreach to Puerto Rico and financial incentives such as a $2,500 property tax credit for new hires. Still, retaining officers has proven challenging, with many young recruits opting to leave for neighboring jurisdictions where they can begin police work more quickly or receive higher pay.
Early Signs and Uncertainty
So far, officials say there is no evidence of large homeless encampments relocating into Prince George’s County, nor have residents reported direct encounters with federal agents operating outside of D.C.
Still, leaders worry it is only a matter of time before the ripple effects of the federal crackdown spill over in more visible ways.
A Regional Balancing Act
For Prince George’s County, the situation underscores the delicate balance of maintaining public safety with limited resources while being directly impacted by policy decisions made just across the border in Washington.
While county officials say they will continue monitoring the situation closely, they stress that local communities already struggling with economic challenges cannot absorb additional strain without more support.
As Councilmember Fisher put it: “At the end of the day, my job is to protect Prince Georgians. And if what’s happening in D.C. starts to impact us directly, we need to be ready.”
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