ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today announced the retirement of Howard County Police Department Chief Gregory Der. Ball appointed Der as Police Chief in November of 2021, and he assumed the role on January 1st, 2022. Der is the second Police Chief appointed by Ball during his tenure. Additional information will be forthcoming regarding an interim Chief.
“I have known Chief Der for nearly 20 years, and he has always stood out as a thoughtful, determined, and effective leader. This has remained the same during his tenure as Police Chief during the last four and a half years,” said Ball. “Many of our officers are involved in stressful, difficult, argumentative, and dangerous situations, often with strangers, going into situations with people who may be having one of the worst days of their lives. Oftentimes their success is quiet, and so I want to especially thank those that have faced the increasing challenges and obstacles of policing in recent years. During his tenure, Chief Der has remained a steadfast leader in helping to move our police department and our community forward. His leadership traits and his ability to build strong bonds with the community made him the right person for the job, and I’m grateful for his service to our community. I wish him the absolute best in his future endeavors.”
Der started his career in 1997 as a narcotics detective and patrol officer with the Easton, Maryland Police Department before joining the Howard County Police Department in 1999. Der served as a school resource officer, hostage negotiator, property crimes detective, and fire and explosives investigator. He retired in August 2017.
Der received many honors during his more than 19 years of service with the Department, including five Unit Citations, two Certificates of Appreciation, 11 Commendation Certificates, an Investigative Award, and numerous Memorandums of Recognition and Letters of Appreciation.
“After four and a half years of serving as Chief of Police, I am announcing my retirement with a deep sense of gratitude and pride. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to County Executive Calvin Ball for his steadfast support, leadership, and commitment to public safety. This partnership has been invaluable, and I am grateful for the trust he placed in me and in this department,” said Der. “It has been an honor to serve the HCPD alongside such dedicated, capable, and compassionate members of this agency. Every day, they demonstrate professionalism, resilience, and a true commitment to the community we are privileged to protect. The work they do does not go unnoticed, and I am incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished together.”
Prior to assuming the position of Howard County Police Chief, Der served as the Chief Deputy, Maryland State Fire Marshal, where he had primary oversight of all sworn and civilian staff, supervisors, and managers stationed at six regional offices throughout Maryland. He was responsible for the progression and resolution of statewide fire, arson, and explosive investigations, coordinating with other local, state, and federal resources. He also oversaw preparation of the agency’s annual budget for legislative approval.
“As I step away from this role, I am starting a new chapter, having recently purchased a home in Florida, where I look forward to spending time with my new grandchild. This is an exciting time for our family, so any misinformation being circulated is troubling, especially from anyone in a position of leadership or authority, as I’ve said in the past,” Der continued. “My retirement has been planned for some time and is not the result of any recent occurrences. While I look forward to what’s ahead, I will always carry with me my time serving the people of Howard County. Thank you all for your service and support.”
Der graduated from Mt. Hebron High School in 1989. He obtained his Associates of Art Degree in Criminal Justice from Carroll Community College in 2009, and his Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership from Johns Hopkins University in 2019.
During the last four and a half years, the Howard County Police Department has made significant strides in strengthening public safety, improving transparency and expanding services to the community, including:
- ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZED POSITIONS: At the request of Chief Der, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announced historic public safety funding in the Fiscal Year 2023 budget, including an $11 million increase for the Howard County Police Department, which represents the largest increase in a decade. The budget included $3.7 million to support 24 additional patrol positions, the largest increase in sworn personnel in 15 years and a critical investment to improve response times, strengthen community policing and address emerging crimes such as human trafficking.
- RECRUITMENT: Innovative recruitment strategies, including a newly implemented FastTrack Hiring Process and SMS marketing campaign, paired with historic FY23 funding, resulted in the processing of the largest HCPD academy class since 1993.
- BODY WORN CAMERA PROGRAM: The HCPD Body-Worn Camera (BWC) program has seen significant success since launching in late 2022 with county funding support. Chief Der and the department have continued to review and update BWC policies to align with national best practices. The program has been well received by both the community and the agency and supports transparency in police interactions with the public.
- TASER PROGRAM: HCPD more than doubled the number of Taser devices assigned to officers beginning in 2023. Chief Der mandated that all new recruits be trained and equipped with Tasers upon academy graduation. Since then, the department has added more than 200 additional Tasers to its force.
- THE MALL IN COLUMBIA: HCPD established a permanent, full-time unit of officers assigned to the Columbia area from the Community Outreach & Pathways Section (COPS), including the Merriweather District, The Mall in Columbia and the Columbia Lakefront. These officers will operate from a full-time satellite office inside the Mall in the coming months. The department has also added an additional patrol beat dedicated exclusively to the Mall area 24 hours a day.
- COLD CASE SUCCESSES: Under the leadership of Chief Der and County Executive Ball, investigators successfully closed three cold cases (McGadney, Sturtz and Ahmad). Additionally, investigators made significant progress in the department’s oldest cold case, “Jane Doe,” identifying the victim and reuniting her children.
- EXPANSION OF THE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT DIVISION: Since 2022, traffic fatalities have decreased by 57 percent, and since 2023 pedestrian fatalities have decreased by 85 percent. This progress follows Chief Der’s expansion of traffic safety initiatives, including restructuring the Traffic Enforcement and Crash Reconstruction Sections, increasing saturation patrols and specialized enforcement details, and launching a streamlined online tool for residents to report traffic safety concerns.
- PUBLIC-FACING DASHBOARDS CRIME AND TRAFFIC SAFETY DASHBOARDS: In an ongoing commitment to transparency, the Howard County Police Department and County Executive Calvin Ball launched four innovative online dashboards providing the public with regularly updated information about crime reports, traffic stops, complaints against officers and use-of-force incidents.
- ENHANCED CRIME ANALYSIS DIVISION: The use of advanced data analysis tools and crime mapping technology has enabled HCPD to better identify crime trends and allocate resources more efficiently. These tools also help predict crime patterns and support continued reductions in both violent and property crime.
- COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY IN LEADERSHIP: Since 2022, Chief Der has promoted 123 sworn members, with 40 percent of those promotions going to members of diverse groups within HCPD. Today, 28 percent of the department’s workforce identifies as minority.
Here’s what others day to say about Chief Der’s leadership:
- Sgt. Jim Daly, President, Howard County Supervisors Alliance, FOP 143: “On behalf of the men and women of the Howard County Police Supervisor's Alliance - FOP Lodge #143, I want to express our appreciation for Chief Der. He has had an open-door policy with police supervisors and ensured that we have the support and tools needed to support our mission and serve our community effectively. He has been committed to transparency and accountability during his tenure as the Chief of Police. We wish him the best as he retires from the Department.”
- PFC Jamie Flynn, President, Howard County Police Officers’ Association, FOP Lodge 21: "As a former FOP president, Chief Der has had a unique perspective on the needs of our rank-and-file officers. This has helped to create an effective working relationship between the union and management. We want to thank Chief Der for always supporting the rank-and-file and for giving us a seat at the table. While we are sorry to see him go, we are grateful for his leadership and support on behalf of our officers."
- Lt. Desmond Tubman, President, Howard County Police Minority Officers Association - Centurions for Justice: “"I want to acknowledge our appreciation of Chief Der as he announces his retirement," said Lt. Desmond Tubman, President of the Howard County Police Minority Officers Association - Centurions for Justice. "Chief Der has consistently supported the needs of minority officers throughout our department. Under his leadership our organization has developed a strong, effective relationship. We recognize and appreciate that Chief Der has expanded opportunities for minority officers to achieve promotion and play a significant role in leading our department."