Public Safety and Community Trust Take Center Stage at Salisbury Law Enforcement Luncheon
SALISBURY, Md. — The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Law Enforcement Luncheon this afternoon. Law enforcement officials and lawmakers from across Delmarva spoke about the importance of trust and ensuring their voices are heard.
Eight police chiefs and sheriffs from around Delmarva met in Salisbury to discuss challenges they face, including the future of artificial intelligence and ways to be more productive during the Maryland legislative session.
Worcester County Sheriff Matt Crisafulli said, “We can bring intangibles to the table. We can bring them the perspectives from our community because not all communities are the same. Legislation should not be a one-size-fits-all.”
Maryland Sen. Mary Beth Carozza said having law enforcement at the table is vital.
“Public safety is job No. 1. We can’t do anything else with education or the environment or business unless people are safe in their homes, in their communities, in their neighborhoods,” Carozza said.
It’s also about building trust among the community, police and General Assembly leaders.
“These are the folks on the front lines — our sheriffs, our chiefs. They come up to Annapolis. They are advocating for us, for their constituents, for our constituents. And I believe our leadership in the Maryland General Assembly needs to listen to these leaders at the local level again to build that trust,” Carozza said.
Part of building that trust, Crisafulli said, is having an open mind and listening to the perspective of law enforcement on the Eastern Shore.
“I know our people. I know a lot of the visitors who come in. I know businesses, I know schools. We can bring that perspective to Annapolis. That can help change how some of these bills are written, making them more conducive to our way of life,” Crisafulli said.
Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bill Chambers said, “Delaware, the Eastern Shore of Virginia and the Lower Shore of Maryland — we are all an economy in and of ourselves. So, it’s important to have leaders from those jurisdictions gather to share their experiences, their visions and their challenges with leaders of the business community.”
