Maryland public safety chief Carolyn Scruggs stepping down amid prison safety concerns

Carolyn Scruggs, who was appointed by Governor Wes Moore in 2023 as Maryland’s public safety and corrections chief, informed her staff Wednesday evening that she is stepping down, according to two sources reported by The Baltimore Banner.

Scruggs is expected to remain within the Moore administration in a different role, a source told The Baltimore Banner. The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, which she led, oversees about 18,000 inmates in state prisons and a pretrial complex in Baltimore, with roughly 9,200 employees and a $1.92 billion annual budget.

During her tenure, Scruggs faced criticism amid a surge in killings inside Maryland’s state-run correctional facilities, which had one of the highest rates of such incidents nationally. The corrections staff union also raised concerns about staffing and safety conditions. A notable incident was the death of a man found in his cell at Roxbury Correctional Institution, which led to a state investigation.

The department also experienced the killing of parole and probation agent Davis Martinez in 2024, which prompted reform legislation in Annapolis. Additionally, the agency has faced scrutiny over medical care in prisons provided by contracted for-profit companies, highlighted by a 2024 audit.

Scruggs, a 27-year veteran of the agency and the first Black woman to lead it, earned $235,000 in 2025, according to state records. A spokesman for the department and the governor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The department’s role in Baltimore and statewide corrections makes this leadership change significant for local public safety and prison management.