Thu Sep 19 09:00:04 UTC 2024: ## Prince George’s County Executive’s South Africa Trip Under Scrutiny Amid Rising Crime

**Prince George’s County, MD:** As violent crime surged in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in late 2022, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks embarked on a taxpayer-funded trip to South Africa, raising eyebrows and fueling criticism. The trip, costing taxpayers $40,000, aimed to attract international investment to the county’s economy.

While Alsobrooks’s delegation toured Nelson Mandela’s home and engaged in discussions about boosting South Africa’s tourism industry, tangible results for her constituents back home remain scarce. The trip yielded two notable achievements: the reaffirmation of a sister-city relationship with the Royal Bafokeng Nation and a partnership with a South African IT firm to open an office in Prince George’s County.

However, the trip’s effectiveness is being questioned amidst a sharp increase in violent crime in the county. Statistics show a more than 30% rise in violent crimes from 2018 to 2022 and a near 500% increase in carjackings from 2019 to 2023. These issues have led to criticisms of Alsobrooks’s leadership, particularly her handling of the police department, which faces a significant officer shortage.

Further scrutiny has fallen upon the trip’s outcomes. While the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation claims several behind-the-scenes successes, including discussions about energy reliability and a potential student exchange program, these initiatives have yet to materialize. The only tangible result mentioned is the early stages of a film project being developed by a local producer who met with South African officials during the trip.

The trip’s lack of tangible results, coupled with the rising crime rates, has become a point of contention for Alsobrooks’s Republican opponent in the Maryland Senate race, former Governor Larry Hogan. Hogan has argued that Alsobrooks lacks the necessary experience for the Senate seat.

Alsobrooks’s campaign has not commented on the matter. The public’s attention has been drawn to the apparent disconnect between the county executive’s travel and the pressing issues facing residents of Prince George’s County. The trip’s cost and questionable effectiveness are likely to remain a focus of scrutiny as the Maryland Senate race heats up.

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