Prince George's County police celebrate four officers completing academy training

Four experienced officers completed Prince George’s County Police Department’s Experienced Police Officer Academy Session 155B, adding to a staffing pipeline the agency is using to keep pace with demand across one of Maryland’s largest police forces.

The department’s comparative compliance track is built for officers who are not currently Maryland-certified and who already have at least one and one-half years of law enforcement experience from federal, local or out-of-state agencies. PGPD says the 23-week program meets Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission requirements, allowing veterans to transition into service here without starting over.

The training effort is part of the Prince George’s County Police Department Training and Education Division, which says its mission is to improve public safety through ethics, professionalism and current best practices. That division includes Basic Officer Training, Advanced Officer Training, the Firearms Section and the Career Development Section. PGPD describes itself as the fourth largest law enforcement agency in Maryland, with more than 1,500 police officers and 300 civilians serving nearly 900,000 residents and business owners.

County budget materials show that staffing plan is broader than one class. Funding was provided for two experienced police officer classes of five each, for a total of ten experienced-officer slots, along with two new recruit classes of 50 each, for a total of 100 new officers. The county’s hiring page also promotes a $15,000 experienced-officer signing bonus, salary up to $81,447, a $1,700 annual uniform allowance and pension benefits that can reach 72.5% of salary after 25 years, rising to 85% after 30 years or sooner with saved leave.

PGPD has also waived the APRT for experienced police officer applicants, a detail that helps speed laterals through the hiring process. In a recent fast-track recruiting event, the department processed 132 applicants and issued 98 conditional job offers, including nine experienced officers from other agencies.

The latest class comes as PGPD continues to rely on both new recruits and lateral hires to shore up staffing. In March 2026, the department graduated 38 recruits from Academy Session 154, with 23 staying on with PGPD and 15 joining partner agencies in the county. PGPD has previously said experienced officers have come from agencies in Utah, Virginia, Frederick and Baltimore, showing that the county’s recruitment reach remains regional and national at the same time.