Frequently Asked Questions
- I understand the Police
Department has a community based police program. What is this program?
How can I get more information about it?
- The
program is called Community Oriented Policing Service
(COPS), and it is a community based program that dedicates
police officers to reducing crime and enhancing the
quality of life in our neighborhoods. Contact the
COPS program coordinator in the Community Services Division at (301) 772-4608 for further information.
- How do I report suspicious neighbors or drug activity?
- You can either telephone Police Communications at (301)
336-8800, or call the Narcotics Enforcement Division
at (301) 883-6800. You can also call the District
Station for the area in which the activity is occurring.
Detailed information about the activities, the persons
involved, vehicle descriptions (tag numbers, make,
and model of car), hours when activity occurs, etc.
will assist investigators. Results may not be seen
immediately. Cases involving conspiracy or high level
drug trafficking can be complicated and time consuming.
- How
can I get someone to speak to various groups about
drugs?
- Personnel
from our Community Services Division can be
can be contacted to request speakers. The phone
number is (301) 772-4608.
- Are
you accepting applications for employment as Prince
George's County Police Officers? If not, when will
you start?
- To
receive information on all County positions for which
applications are currently being accepted, including
the position of Police Officer, call the Prince George's
County Job Hotline at (301) 952-3408. The recording
will indicate if we are currently accepting applications
for the position of Police Officer. It will also explain
how to submit an application. Until the Police Officer
position is advertised on the Job Hotline, we cannot
accept job applications from prospective applicants.
- How
do I obtain an application? Where do I turn it in?
When is the deadline for accepting applications?
- Once
the position of Police Officer is announced, you can
pick up a Prince George's County job application at
any County Public Library, the Prince George's County
Police Personnel Division, located at 5000 Rhode Island
Avenue Hyattsville, Maryland, or the Prince George's
County Office of Personnel and Labor Relations, 1400
McCormick Drive, Suite 159, Largo, Maryland. Applications
can also be downloaded at the County's Employment
Opportunities Bulletin Board. Applications may be
returned to the Personnel Offices, which are open
until 5:00 p.m., or by mail. All applications must
be postmarked by midnight of the announcement closing
date to be eligible for consideration.
- What
are the minimum qualifications to become a Prince
George's County Police Officer?
- The
minimum qualifications for Prince George's County
Police Officer are as follows:
- You must be a U.S. Citizen.
- You must be a High School Graduate (60 plus college
credit hours preferred).
- You must be 21 years old at the time of graduation
from the Academy.
- You must possess a valid driver's license.
- What
is the current starting salary for a Prince George's
County Police Officer?
- The starting salary for an entry level police officer is $44,148. Experienced police officers, with up to 8 years of service, may be paid at a slightly higher rate.
- I
have taken the written and agility tests, but I have
not heard anything further. How can I find out current
status in the application process?
- Due
to the large number of applicants who respond to our
announcement for Police Officer it may take several
weeks after your test date to have your case assigned
to one of our applicant investigators for processing.
Once your case has been assigned to an investigator,
you will be immediately contacted for further processing.
- How
do I obtain a copy of a police report?
- Contact
the Police Records Center Automated Request Line at
(301) 985-3660. Copies of police reports can be obtained
at a cost of $5.00 payable by business check or money
order. No cash or personal checks are accepted. You
can also mail requests with a self addressed, stamped
envelope to the Police Records Center, 4923 43rd Avenue
Hyattsville, Maryland 20781-2020. Please allow 2-4
weeks for the report to be delivered. Please provide
names of persons involved, date, time, and the location
of the incident. Also, if available, please provide
the case number. Police reports cannot be obtained from the Police Records Center on a walk-in basis, only through the mail.
- How can I obtain a
copy of a fatal accident reconstruction?
- An accident reconstruction is completed for all fatal collisions investigated
by the Prince George's County Police Department, and takes about six
(6) weeks to complete. The fee for this report is $20.00. Payment is
by money order or business check only.
- How
do I obtain a copy of the photographs taken by the
Police Department at a fatal accident scene?
- Copies
of the photographs can be obtained through the Police
Photography Lab located at the Police Records Center.
The fee is $20.00 per roll, business check or money
order only. All requests must be in writing to the
Police Records Center, at the address above. No walk-ins
will be accepted.
- How
do I obtain a copy of a video tape taken by the police
at a fatal accident scene?
- Video
tapes can be obtained by a subpoena only.
- Are
reports written for all automobile accidents, and
do the police need to be called for all automobile
accidents?
- No,
reports are not written for all automobile accidents,
and the police do not have to be called for all auto
accidents. Under Maryland law accidents that involve
non-disabling damage to the vehicles, and where there
are no injuries, only require that the operators exchange
insurance, driver's license, and auto registration
information. The drivers of both vehicles then contact
their personal insurance companies.
- How
do I obtain a copy of a non-fatal traffic accident
report?
- Non-fatal
traffic accident reports can be obtained from the
Police District Station that handles the area in which
the accident occurred. You can go to that station
with the case number, pay a fee of $5.00 (money order
or business check only), and you will receive a copy
of the report. This is the ONLY type of report that
can be obtained at the Police District Stations. They
are only held at the District Stations for 30 days.
After 30 days you will have to contact the Police
Records Center and follow the instructions for obtaining
a regular police report. Accident reports CANNOT be
obtained from the Police Records Center on a walk-in
basis, only through the mail.
- My
car has been impounded in Prince George's County.
What information will I need to obtain a vehicle release?
- A
vehicle release can be obtained at any Prince George's
County Police Station. The information you will need
is the title or registration for the vehicle, and
a photo ID of yourself showing that you are the owner
of the vehicle. If you are the owner of a vehicle
involved in an accident, and are on the scene of the
accident, with the proper identification (photo ID
and the vehicle registration) you can obtain a vehicle
release from the officer on the scene. If you are not the registered owner, you must present an original signed and notarized authorization from the owner granting you permission to obtain the release.
- Why
does it sometimes take the police so long to respond
when I call?
- Calls
are dispatched on a priority basis - from the most
serious to the least serious. Due to manpower fluctuations
and the volume of calls, there are times when all
of the patrol officers in service are busy handling
other calls.
- When
are the different Police District Stations open?
- Prince
George's County Police District Stations are open
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- How
do I obtain crime statistics for the neighborhood
where I reside, or am considering moving to?
- You
must call the Police District Station that handles
the area that you are interested in and ask to speak
to someone in the Commander's Office. They will be
able to provide you with Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics
for the area in which you are interested. You can
also ask to speak to a Community Oriented Policing
Service (COPS) Officer who will be more familiar with
the area. The COPS officer is supplied monthly with a listing of all calls for service. They are responsible for assisting you.
- I own a business, or want to buy a business, in a particular
area. Who do I call about crime statistics for the
area?
- Call
the Police Records Center at (301) 985-3662. There
is a nominal charge for crime statistics for commercial
interests. Fee information will be available when
you call.
- How
would I obtain crime statistics pertaining to a civil
matter in which I am involved?
- Contact
the Director of Central Records at (301) 985-3362.
The Director's staff will explain to you the procedures
for obtaining this information.
- Can
I obtain, on a regular basis, the statistics for crime
trends in Prince George's County?
- The
Prince George's County Police does not have a "mailing
list" to receive this information. Official Uniform
Crime Reporting Statistics are compiled on a quarterly
basis as the data becomes available. These are forwarded to
the Maryland State Police, which is the central repository
for this information. You can contact the Maryland
State Police at (410) 298-3883.
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