ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball and Howard County Police Department (HCPD) Acting Chief Terrence Benn today cut the ribbon on a new police satellite office at The Mall in Columbia. This new satellite office will provide patrol officers assigned to the area with a home base to address concerns at The Mall in Columbia, Merriweather District, and Downtown Columbia Lakefront. Photos from the event can be found on Howard County Government’s Flickr website and video on the County Executive Facebook webpage.
These past couple of years, we have worked tirelessly to address concerning violent incidents in our county that have shaken our community’s sense of safety. This past year, then Police Chief Gregory Der and I announced our new impactful ‘Crime Reduction Plan’ for Downtown Columbia aimed at strengthening security at The Mall in Columbia, combating area crime, and ensuring community members feel safe. This new satellite office is part of that plan. This new satellite office expands our community policing progress even further and supports our patrol officers to building relationships with community members, being more proactive, and maintaining a visible presence to ensure Howard County is the safest place to live, work, and play.”
While not staffed 24/7, the new satellite office will provide patrol officers assigned to the area with a home base where they can:
- Complete reports and conduct investigative follow-ups;
- Maintain a visible presence in the community;
- Build relationships with local businesses and residents; and
- Stay rooted in Downtown Columbia during their shifts.
“The opening of this satellite office was one of the promises when we announced the Crime Reduction Plan, and today it is now open,” said Terrence O. Benn, Acting Chief, Howard County Police Department. “To have a permanent physical presence inside the mall was integral in our plan. This office will provide work space for community outreach officers and patrol officers. Our strong partnership with mall security and management is critical to making The Mall in Columbia the safest place it can be.”
In early 2025, Ball and Der unveiled the County’s new “Crime Reduction Plan” for Downtown Columbia to strengthen security at The Mall in Columbia, combat area crime, and ensure community members feel safe. Then in April 2025, Ball announced the creation of a permanent, full-time unit of officers from HCPD’s Community Outreach & Pathways Section (COPS) assigned to Downtown Columbia, including the Merriweather District, The Mall in Columbia, and Columbia Lakefront. This new satellite office is part of that plan, which assigns one patrol officer exclusively to The Mall area 24/7 and two COPS officers to Downtown Columbia shifts throughout the week.
HCPD formalized its agreement with The Mall in Columbia for its new police satellite office in mid-2025, with the County agreeing to pay a lump sum of $100,000 and the handling of any future typical office expenses.
"We are excited to start this new chapter in our partnership with the Howard County Police Department," said Mary Williams, Senior General Manager, The Mall in Columbia. "The satellite office is another step in providing our guests, retailers, and merchants with a warm and inviting place to shop, dine, play, and experience community."
HCPD’s sixth operational satellite office in the county, this new satellite office further reflects Ball’s and HCPD’s commitment to crime prevention through visibility and proactive patrols, strengthening police-community trust, supporting small businesses and preserving essential services, and responding directly to community advocacy. It also builds upon HCPD’s efforts to implement stronger measures to deter and combat crime throughout Howard County. In addition to The Mall in Columbia, HCPD also has satellite offices in Elkridge, North Laurel, Oakland Mills, Harpers Choice, and Glenwood.
HCPD opened its last satellite office in Elkridge’s Green Valley Marketplace in June 2025. Like its other counterparts, this satellite office provides HCPD patrol officers assigned to the area with a home base to address concerns in the Elkridge and surrounding areas.
Finally, since the launch of the Crime Reduction Plan, HCPD has increased its daily presence around The Mall and nearby pathways on foot patrols, mountain bikes, ATVs, Zero motorbikes, and patrol cars, as well as assisted property managers with banning notices and made arrests for trespassing and theft. The increased police presence has also enabled officers to address nuisance and quality of life issues, such as disorderly conduct, parking violations, and noise complaints.