When the Greenbelt Police Department’s Criminal Investigative Unit was awarded a Unit Citation for its work on major violent crime cases (see May 7 issue), Master Police Officer Carl Roberson was among those recognized. It’s an honor that, for him, reflects both professional achievement and a personal commitment to the city he has long called home.
Roberson has spent nearly a decade serving the same community where he grew up.
“I’m a Greenbelter,” he said. “This is my home. I love Greenbelt.”
The unit’s work contributed to a broader decline in crime across the city. According to monthly crime reports, the total number of offenses in Greenbelt is down 30 percent compared with the previous year.
For Roberson, however, the job is about more than statistics. His connection to Greenbelt runs deep. His family settled in the area after immigrating from Guyana, and he has lived in the city since early childhood. He attended local schools, including Eleanor Roosevelt High School, and still spends much of his time in the community. “I’ve been here since I was like 5 or 6,” he said. “I kind of have deep roots in the community.”
Roberson originally wanted to work for the National Security Agency. The death of his high school friend Adrian Morris, a former Prince George’s County Police Officer, broadened his horizon of career choices. “It opened up a new career path. And then luckily, I got the call to work here, and I’ve been here ever since.”
That familiarity shapes how he approaches policing. Whether attending school events, walking through neighborhoods or interacting with residents, Roberson often encounters people he has known for years. “I still run into people … people I went to Roosevelt with,” he said. “You know, run into old teachers when I do events at Roosevelt.” Those relationships, he said, are central to building trust and maintaining public safety.
The department’s emphasis on training has also contributed to the unit’s success. Officers are regularly sent to specialized courses, including Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) training and instruction in digital investigations and crisis response, allowing them to adapt to evolving crime trends. “We see a need for something, and then we send somebody out to train for that,” Roberson said.
Outside of work, Roberson remains closely tied to the city. He spends his free time lifting weights, biking and walking through Greenbelt’s parks. “I like the foliage and the trees,” he said. “I like it, I like this area.”
The Unit Citation recognizes a period of intense investigative work, but for Roberson, it also reflects something more enduring, a commitment to protecting the place that shaped him. “You talk about wanting to make a change … I’m legitimately doing that,” he said.
In the future, Roberson plans to retire from the Greenbelt Police Department and stay with his community. “I would love to retire here,” he said. “I have deep roots here. I like the great energy we have, the diversity that’s changed, and this place has become incredibly diverse since I’ve been here.”
Laura Charleston is a University of Maryland student at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism interning at the Greenbelt News Review.
