Town Runs The Financial Numbers On Different Police Coverage
As a longtime resident of Oxford, I understand what many Oxford citizens are going through right now. For decades, we had a dedicated Oxford Police Department headed by good men like Wally Jones, Jim Borga, and Pat Maxwell. These were Chiefs/Officers you could rely on to keep our town safe and to address many different kinds of local law enforcement calls from barking dog complaints, drunk driver arrests, and serious crime. They were available 24/7.
Unfortunately, in 2023, Commissioners Brian Wells, Jim Jaramillo, and Tom Costigan, on the advice of Town Manager Cheryl Lewis, decided to destroy that security with one act; the forced retirement of long time Chief Pat Maxwell. They coerced him to sign an NDA with the threat of losing his health insurance and perp walked him out the door of the Oxford Town Office. Then, they gave him thirty days to leave his townhouse.
Did he do anything wrong? The simple answer is “no.” He was taken down by a carefully planned “whispering campaign” orchestrated by someone who couldn’t stand that he was a popular chief who had more influence in the town than they did.
When they retired Pat Maxwell, they set up Oxford to face the dilemma the Oxford Commissioners currently face; to have a dedicated, town funded police department, or to contract for policing by a dedicated sheriff’s office force.
At the time, we demanded the town maintain an Oxford Police Force including a live-in Chief in the Oxford Townhouse. We thought it was the best thing. We were wrong. We were wrong because an Oxford Police Chief living in Oxford only provides complete security if you have a truly dedicated Chief of Police who will be there when you call, no matter what time of day. That ended in February 2023.
To understand what is going on now, one has to understand the timeline of policing in Oxford since 2023.
Timeline:
February 6, 2023 – Pat Maxwell is forced into retirement and into signing an NDA. The next two town meetings are filled with citizens, including myself, who demand answers about his “retirement” and other information about how the town is run. It is clear the citizens of the town saw that something was not right with this move. How did the Commissioners respond? They didn’t.
April 11, 2023 – the Town Commissioners swear in Eric Kellner as Police Chief. Kellner lives 45 minutes away, implies he will maintain bankers’ hours, speaks about the love for his hometown of Ridgely and seems to have little feeling for the town he will be tasked to serve and protect other than the value of his paycheck.
We find out the town had been recruiting Kellner for months prior to Maxwell’s “retirement.”
August, 2023 -Oxford Chief Kellner institutes a new crime fighting strategy as described below:
The story below reveals that the strategy of begging people to obey laws didn’t work. (BTW; Who responded to the attack described below? Talbot County Sheriff’s Office)
Oxford Plea For Courtesy Doesn’t Prevent Armed Assault In Town – The Easton Gazette
January 2024 – Chief Eric Kellner steps down as Chief, Chris Phillips is appointed interim then full time chief in May 2024. He moves his family into the town owned townhouse. Many hoped he would be the answer to our policing problems. He was not.
Oxford Swears In Phillips As New Police Chief – The Easton Gazette
Whether it was his lack of experience as a leader or dedication to the demanding job he was hired to do, Phillips wasn’t a good fit.
November 2025 – Oxford Commissioners Fire Phillips “For Cause.”
Phillips was paid over $100,000 a year and lived in a townhouse that only cost him $200 a month. Yet, he could not answer the call when a criminal eluding police drove through town at 90 miles per hour. Talbot County deputies called him for help. He didn’t answer his phone.
During monthly reports, it was clear that enforcement wasn’t happening. Numbers of enforcement stops were drastically low. People weren’t seeing police patrols.
Then there was the confrontational way he reacted to citizens in town meetings when they challenged his job performance. They noticed that he spent many of his days at his townhouse instead of patrolling.
Oxford Terminates Current Chief of Police For Cause – The Easton Gazette
Recent Oxford Police Department Upheaval: What Really Happened? – The Easton Gazette
December 2025 – Oxford Contracts with Talbot County Sheriff’s Office Town till June 30, 2026 to provide police coverage for the town. This contract includes current officer Brandon Bobbick, who stayed on in Oxford.
March 2026 – Oxford Introduces budget concerns which include the high cost of a dedicated police department. Citizens are shocked at how little coverage the town department can give for the money it costs. The Sheriff’s Office agreement boosts coverage from 19% to 45% for around $75.00 an hour vs. over $200 an hour for a dedicated Oxford Town Policeman.
Oxford’s Financial Illusions Of The Past Lead To Difficult Decisions Now – The Easton Gazette
March 11, 2026 – Town Manager Wahl hosts Budget listening session which includes Sheriff Joe Gamble and Major Steve Elliot. It is one more example of how transparent current decision-making is in the town.
Link to the livestream of that session:
Stream Video – Town Hall Streams
Some of the citizens were questioning the move to engage the Sheriff’s Office. These were people who haven’t been happy about the fact that town administrators are now exposing inconsistencies and enforcing town rules, policies, and codes. Unlike the past, all residents are required to follow the rules/codes for permitting, zoning, etc. There are no more favored few. Water bills will now be charged accurately, with businesses paying for the water they use, something that wasn’t done before. Town business is transparent, with all decisions made in public.
How policing will be done is one of the biggest financial decisions that must be made.
What Are The Different Opinions?
In the listening session, people argued that perhaps Oxford hasn’t tried hard enough to attract and retain police officers. The plain truth, as a current policeman told me, is the job is not attractive to many young or middle-aged police officers because it is not a job with opportunities to train, learn and grow so they can build a professional resume.
Not only that, but police are leaving Maryland in droves due to onerous state laws which make their jobs and lives harder. The estimated loss statewide is 13% or approximately 2,000. The pool of candidates, especially for a chief, is shrinking as is the quality of those available candidates. Oxford has advertised for months and has had only TWO applicants. Neither would have been suitable for the job.
While some recommend retired officers, the plain fact is that many retired officers want a job where they don’t have to do much policing. Like any other retiree, retired police want to wind down their careers, not make them busier. That’s why many take part time security jobs.
What Are The Options And How Much Will They Cost?
Even if Oxford could attract quality police candidates, the cost would be prohibitive. Let’s look at a comparison of costs with different scenarios: (costs per year)
Full Sheriff’s Office Coverage: 45% of hours in a week covered- $341,000.00 – Sheriff’s Office vehicles and insurance are included, no training, uniforms or weapons cost to the town.
Two Oxford Officers Coverage: 19% hours in a week covered-$646,998.00 – This number does NOT include insurance, vehicle, administration (paperwork) or HR time.
Three Oxford Officers Coverage: 27% hours in a week covered- $821,394.00– This number does NOT include insurance, vehicle, administration (paperwork) or HR time.
Four Oxford Officers Coverage: 36% hours in a week covered- $1,025,385.00– This number does NOT include insurance, vehicle, administration (paperwork) or HR time.
None of the costs listed above for an Oxford Police force include the “buy in” for LEOPS (retirement system for police). For each retiree or potential retiree, the town has been paying 7% to the State Retirement Fund. LEOPS is 36% so we would have to “catch up” with an additional compounded interest rate of 5% if we have our own force.
Maintaining an Oxford Police Department of two, three or four officers would create a yearly budget deficit of approximately $391,000, $653,000 and $890,000 respectively (without LEOPS). This is money that would come from town reserve funds which could be used for other critical issues such as flooding, infrastructure maintenance, etc.
The Emotional Component
There are people who think that maintaining a municipal police force is not just a financial decision, but it is also an emotional one. This implies that unless the town has a dedicated Oxford Chief living in town heading a force exclusive to Oxford, people would not be safe nor would they feel safe.
There are some people who, for whatever reason, won’t feel safe unless a police officer is parked outside their door. Maybe they have suffered a trauma in their life that causes them to be anxious. Maybe they are elderly, live alone and worry about being victimized. We can’t discount any of those feelings.
People are basing their desire for a dedicated Oxford police force on the way things were in the past with “live in” Police Chiefs who were available at a moment’s notice with a phone call. Yet, Oxford has been unsuccessful in replicating that for a variety of reasons, the most likely is the fact that Chiefs Maxwell, Borga, and Jones are examples of a different era in local law enforcement.
How do we make them feel more secure?
A consistent police presence helps. If we look at the percent of hours covered in each scenario listed above there are two which provide the highest coverages. However, one scenario (a four person Oxford Police force) gives 36% coverage at three times the cost of the other (Sheriff’s Office) which gives 45% coverage. The numbers clearly show the disadvantage of maintaining a municipal police force, especially when Sheriff’s Office coverage will be designed in a way to provide consistent policing during peak times.
This brings up the issue of response time. While there is no way that on site police coverage can be maintained 24/7, a rotation of Sheriff’s Office deputies will provide 75 hours of focused, scheduled service in a week. That schedule would be flexible, with hours adjusted for times when Oxford has more visitors or a major event.
Sheriff Gamble told us that if the Sheriff’s Office is in town working, the response time for a call would be three minutes or less. If they don’t currently have deputies in town working, response time could be anything from just a few minutes if they are close to possibly ten minutes. He also said that response time could depend on what is going on in the rest of the county and if that incident requires increased Sheriff’s Office attention.
The deputies assigned to Oxford would be assigned, scheduled and managed by Lieutenant James (J.R.) Dobson. Dobson has been present at town meetings to report on police activities in town since the contract was signed with the Sheriff’s Office earlier this winter.
Another emphasis for those concerned about safety has to be the low crime rate in Oxford. An Oxford citizen has a 1 in 581 chance per year of being the victim of a violent crime or assault. This is 55% lower than the national average (1 in 263). They have a 1 in 373 chance of being the victim of a property crime, 81% lower than the national average (1 in 55). All these statistics are calculated in the town’s incorporated limits.
Oxford, MD Crime Rate & Statistics 2026 | DoorProfit
This can be compared to nearby Easton, Trappe or Cambridge:
Easton, MD Crime Rate & Statistics 2026 | DoorProfit
Cambridge, MD Crime Rate & Statistics 2026 | DoorProfit
Trappe, MD Crime Rate & Statistics 2026 | DoorProfit
It’s also important to note how law enforcement has changed in Maryland.
The State of Law Enforcement In Maryland In 2026
During the budget listening session, Sheriff Gamble discussed the duties of police now versus just a few years ago. There is no doubt that police in Maryland are under more stress and scrutiny than ever before. They are required not only to maintain their policing skills by recertifying periodically, but there is an incredible amount of paperwork that they have to do to provide accountability for all arrests, actions, etc. According to Gamble, he maintains a monthly calendar of all reports, meetings, etc. that are required. This cuts down on the hours when a one- or two-man dedicated town police department will be able to actually police. The Sheriff’s Office has a staff who helps with that paperwork.
An Oxford Police Department wouldn’t have that staff.
There is also a police accountability board in every county or jurisdiction. That board, made up of citizens, serves to address complaints from citizens against police officers. Here is a description of that action:
The Police Accountability Board (PAB) in Maryland was created on July 1, 2022, following the enactment of the Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021. This legislation mandated that each county establish a PAB to oversee police conduct and accountability.
Police Accountability Board – Talbot County, Maryland
The above board covers all police in Talbot County, except …
The Board does not review the Chief of a municipal force, like an Oxford Chief.
Why is that a problem?
While we may not completely agree with how or why the Police Accountability Board was created and some of its mission, it does provide some protection for a jurisdiction maintaining its own police force in case an officer goes outside the lines of professional policing. But, an Oxford Police Chief would not be covered, which means there could be NO ACCOUNTABILITY for his/her actions. This opens Oxford up to legal ramifications should the Chief take action that would be considered outside the bounds of his/her authority.
Who Decides What The Town Will Do?
Oxford, as many other jurisdictions, has a specific budget process.
Annual budgets are adopted by Commissioners through Town Ordinance. The Town currently operates under three budgets: the General Fund and two enterprise funds—the Utility Fund (water and sewer) and the Stormwater Shoreline Management Protection (SMSP) Fund. Budget adoption requires the Commissioners to introduce each budget through a budget ordinance, schedule a public hearing for each ordinance, advertise the public hearings, and ultimately adopt the budgets either as presented or with modifications. Annual budgets serve as a policy decision that directs available resources as appropriate to the Towns ‘governmental functions. This would include the governmental function of public safety.
The Town Manager’s role is to bring forward recommendations to Commissioners as a professional manager experienced in municipal operations. As part of making those recommendations, there are several key areas that will need to be considered in the FY27 budget based on the Town’s current financial position. One of those key areas is how the town will move forward with police coverage while the Town currently has one officer and is under an agreement with the Sheriff’s office to administer the Town’s policing. The Sheriff’s office is currently addressing the Town’s reporting requirements to ensure the Town is in compliance with regulations and is assisting the town with staffing deputies for dedicated coverage of the Town.
A valid recommendation for this decision must include the considerations of risk/liability/legal exposure, accountability, capacity/competencies, life/health/safety, and the fiscal position of the town.
In a town where flooding is reaching critical levels, infrastructure is aging, and there is a structural deficit (obligations and debt service) of approximately $7 million dollars, an Oxford Police Department of four officers could put a strain on town finances of over $1 million dollars when fringe benefits, LEOPS retirement system, etc. are factored in. The town would either have to cut other areas or raise income via taxes and other fees. Neither is desirable.
What is desirable is a responsible, affordable, professional and effective way to provide police coverage and safety for the town. We can all get on board with that.
Stream Video – Town Hall Streams
NOTE: These discussions will occur during the March 24th Commissioners’ draft FY27 budget discussions during the Commissioner’s meeting. This discussion follows an initial budget work session and initial budget hearing session, which were held to further engage citizens in discussion.
Rumor Control
We received a call last week asking about a rumor that the Town of Oxford wasn’t going to make a donation to the Oxford Fire Company. The rumor is unfounded and we believe is being promoted by a small group of residents.
There are citizens in Oxford who haven’t adjusted to the changes the new administration is making. That change is happening in a very transparent way, uncovering some uncomfortable facts about how town business was conducted in the past. But, when change occurs, toes sometimes get stepped on and egos are squashed.
Also, some of the non-profits who have been recipients of tax dollar donations and sweet lease deals are not happy that the town has decided not to give them these donations any longer. They are upset even though they are sitting on millions in assets and “rainy day funds” We believe some of them could be the sources for this rumor.
Here’s the facts. The Oxford Commissioners gave a $25,000 check to the Oxford Fire Company this past January. There are no plans to cut the Fire Company donations. Donating to the Fire Company makes sense since the OFD provides a valuable service to the town. Also, they are constantly working to raise their own funds with events, etc.
We suggest that when people hear these rumors they either call a commissioner or the town office to get the truth.
Jan Greenhawk, Author
The post Police Dilemma In Oxford, Maryland appeared first on The Easton Gazette.
