ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Wes Moore tapped state Sen. Michael A. Jackson as the next superintendent of the Maryland State Police Friday, replacing Col. Roland L. Butler, who is set to retire Nov. 1.
Before he was elected to the Legislature, Jackson, D-Calvert, Charles-Prince George’s, spent 22 years in the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office, the last eight, from 2002-2010, as elected sheriff.
He was elected to the House of Delegates in 2014 and appointed to the Senate in 2021, winning reelection to the seat in 2022. He serves on the Budget and Taxation Committee.
“He’s one of our best members,” Senate Majority Leader Nancy King, D-Montgomery, said of Jackson’s work on the committee. “I’m thrilled for him. It’s a good opportunity for him. That makes me sad because he’s a really good friend and he’s really good on Budget and Tax.”
Butler took the helm of the state police in early 2023, shortly after Moore’s inauguration. He became the first Black superintendent of the state police in the agency’s history.
In a statement Friday, Moore applauded Butler for 31 years in law enforcement, calling him a “true public servant.”
“During Colonel Butler’s tenure at the helm of state police, Maryland has become a national leader in crime reduction and public safety gains. He leaves behind a profound legacy as he enters retirement,” Moore said. “And I also know Senator Michael A. Jackson — an exceptional public servant in his own right — will build on the foundation Colonel Butler laid.”
Butler took the job after a lengthy career in the state police, including time as chief of the Field Operations Bureau. But he faced a difficult confirmation battle, as a group of Black lawmakers argued that Butler had not done enough to promote diversity and address complaints of racism and discriminatory treatment of Black officers.
At the time, Jackson was one of four senators, all from Prince George’s County, to vote against Butler.
Last year, the state police agreed to pay $2.75 million to settle a Justice Department investigation that found written and physical hiring tests used by the department discriminated against Black and female applicants.
The investigation in that began in 2022, before Butler’s tenure, and the funds were to be divided between 48 failed applicants. President Donald Trump’s administration has since signaled that it intends to walk away from similar suits around the country.
Butler plans to retire Nov. 1, Moore said, and Jackson will take over Nov. 12. Lt. Col. Daniel C. Pickett will serve as superintendent in the interim.
Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, R-Upper Shore, commended both men in a statement Friday, but argued that the leadership shake-up reflects poorly on Moore.
Butler is the eighth senior official to leave the Moore administration this year, what Hershey called “an alarming number” to leave well before the end of the term. Recent months have seen the departure of Moore’s transportation secretary and budget secretary, as well as his chief of staff.
“When so many senior officials walk away this early, it’s fair to ask why,” Hershey said. “Is it exhaustion, disagreement, or frustration with the governor’s leadership and direction? Whatever the reason, this level of turnover should deeply concern Marylanders who expect steady, competent leadership from the state’s top executive.”
Calvin Hawkins, an at-large member of the Prince George’s County Council, worked with Jackson when he was county sheriff, and found him to be “politically astute” and “innovative.”
“He wasn’t a shrinking violet to the other elected officials,” Hawkins said. “He really brought other ideas to the table.”
For instance, he said that Jackson spearheaded an effort to place student resource officers in county schools for the first time.
Sen. Jack Bailey, R-Calvert and St. Mary’s, a former police officer, said Friday he was “surprised” to learn of Butler’s departure. He wasn’t sure what precipitated this change, adding that he had a “good working relationship” with both men. In the Legislature, Bailey bonded with Jackson, in part because of their similar backgrounds.
“He and I worked in the Senate together during police accountability — through all those hearings,” Bailey said. “He and I both graduated from Johns Hopkins with the same degree, and we were both FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) presidents, and we both represent Calvert County. He’s a good friend of mine.”
In a statement, Sen. Cory McCray, D-Baltimore City, another Budget and Taxation Committee member, said Jackson was a leader on police reform in the General Assembly.
“He’s a colleague grounded in history, lived experience and qualification, and I’m confident he will pair constitutional policing with transparency and community partnership,” McCray wrote.
Del. Jeffrie Long, D-Calvert and Prince George’s, who is from Jackson’s district, said the senator has served his Southern Maryland constituents “with integrity, commitment and unwavering dedication.”
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to him on his well-deserved appointment,” Long said. “A testament to his leadership and lifelong service to our state.”
And Long, a Calvert County native and Prince George’s County resident, said he plans to put his name forward for the Senate opening Jackson’s move will create.
“Our community deserves bold, compassionate leadership and I am ready to answer the call,” Long said.
Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. William J. Ford contributed to this report.