Somerset County saw a notable decrease in citizen complaints about local police over the last calendar year, according to an annual report from the Police Accountability Board.
The Somerset PAB reported 16 complaints and three substantiated complaints in 2024, leading to “minor administrative corrective action being taken.” There were just 10 complaints in 2025, with none substantiated and several ruled “unfounded.”
Officials said that represented a 37.5% decrease year over year.
By comparison, Wicomico County’s Police Accountability Board received 12 complaints in 2025, with eight of those ruled unfounded.
Of the remaining cases, a Salisbury complaint opened Jan. 17, 2025, involving discourtesy and missing property, resulted in one sustained allegation and one unfounded finding. Three Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office cases — opened Oct. 2 and Oct. 3, 2024, and June 24, 2025 — resulted in a mix of sustained and unfounded findings, including one sustained body-worn camera violation.
In Worcester County, there were 15 complaints last year, with one substantiated, according to Public Information Officer Kim Moses.
What’s in the report?
The report lists two complaints against the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office for “unprofessional conduct,” with one of those listed as under investigation.
Princess Anne Police had eight complaints, for inappropriate conduct and a department collision. Two of those are listed as under investigation. There were no complaints against Crisfield Police.
“There has been a significant decrease of citizen complaints filed against law enforcement officers in Somerset County when comparing 2025 to 2024,” the report said. “Thus, a conclusion can be drawn that in 2025, the law enforcement officers in Somerset County are effectively and efficiently performing their sworn duties with a high degree of integrity and professionalism.”
Somerset County Police Accountability Board Chair Marty Koerner said several of the complaints reviewed were submitted through a complaint form on the county website.
“Three of the administrative cases reported are still under investigation,” he said.
Koerner, in an interview with The Sun, said the drop in complaints was “an attribute to the fine integrity of law enforcement officers working here in Somerset County.”
“I would say that that tells me that they’re doing policing effectively, efficiently, and they’re doing it properly,” he said. “I’m sure that improves morale — even though they’re getting some of these complaints, they are substantiated or unfounded, so I’m sure that does improve morale.”
Somerset County Sheriff Ronnie Howard said he was “tickled to death” with the latest annual report.
“We’ve had some minor stuff, but nothing major,” he said of police complaints.
Howard said modern police officers know that body cameras will hold them accountable, but in Somerset, “they’re feeling we’ve been like this all along.”
“It makes them feel real good knowing that the public views them in a good light,” he said.
The report noted that Maryland State Police and University of Maryland Eastern Shore Police report investigative findings to the State of Maryland Police Accountability Board. The Sun reached out to Maryland State Police for comment.
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