Wow, I can't believe that article is almost six years old. I remember reading it when I was in college, that makes me feel very old.
BTW, am I the only one who find it mind-bogging that the BPD sends two officers to arrest someone for a screw-up over a traffic citation? How many man-hours were wasted on that?
It is old, I've been meaning to put it up for a long time-- what made me think of it was the BPD just posted this video. "Priority Warrents" -- there's a concept.
Did that really happen to Anna Ditkoff, or was she just writing in the first person?
As awful as that was, I've heard a much, much worse story from a male who was arrested. In the case of males, your biggest problem is not the blood-chilling coldness of the environment but the sheer nastiness of the other people who are locked up. For someone who is not a street person such an experience can leave an emotional scar-- it's that bad.
The problem is warrants. The sheriff's office is asked to serve warrants. Now do you put forth your effort on murderers with no fixed address, no property, 6 different baby mommas that live all over the city, 2 grandmas and an extended gang network....or some yutz who owns property, pays taxes at that property, has a water bill, a BGE bill, credit cards, and a job? If you want to have a successful day and a good catch rate you go for the low hanging fruit. If you take a close look at those sheriff deputies hanging around the courthouses, the don't instill confidence in their ability to run fast and catch people, but they could do some damage at the donut shop for sure.
It's the same regarding state revenue. Do you chase the large Maryland-based corporation that rents a PO Box in Dewey Beach, then chooses to incorporate in tax-free Delaware or do you install hundreds of speed cameras and fine dog owners for having their aged and dying chihuahuas off-leash? More low hanging fruitistas!
Just to defend the hard working Sheriff's Deputies of Baltimore City - the one's you see at the courthouse that do not instill confidence are not the deputies serving the warrants. The Sherriff’s office has many divisions and rotations and a Deputy on light duty for one reason or another is assigned security duty at the courthouse. There are many more Deputies that are up at 4am in the morning, in tip top shape, who risk their lives every day to serve warrants. Just this year, two Deputies were shot trying to serve warrants in our not-so-fair city.
I also don’t think the Sherriff picks and chooses the “low hanging fruit.” The Sherriff gets stacks of warrants everyday the Sherriff takes every warrant signed by a judge very seriously. Whether it’s for deadbeats not paying child support, Failure to Appears, and/or unpaid fines, the Sherriff tries to serve everyone. It just so happens that people with addresses are easier to find and of course the Deputies start at the last known address of the person they’re trying to serve. Regardless, if the Deputies don’t have an address, they don’t just shelve the warrant, they try everyday to track the person down and follow up on leads…they also post wanted posters etc…
Wow, I can't believe that article is almost six years old. I remember reading it when I was in college, that makes me feel very old.
ReplyDeleteBTW, am I the only one who find it mind-bogging that the BPD sends two officers to arrest someone for a screw-up over a traffic citation? How many man-hours were wasted on that?
It is old, I've been meaning to put it up for a long time-- what made me think of it was the BPD just posted this video.
ReplyDelete"Priority Warrents" -- there's a concept.
Hey! Isn't that Sergeant Adkins, the famous truthslayer?
ReplyDeleteDid that really happen to Anna Ditkoff, or was she just writing in the first person?
ReplyDeleteAs awful as that was, I've heard a much, much worse story from a male who was arrested. In the case of males, your biggest problem is not the blood-chilling coldness of the environment but the sheer nastiness of the other people who are locked up. For someone who is not a street person such an experience can leave an emotional scar-- it's that bad.
The problem is warrants. The sheriff's office is asked to serve warrants. Now do you put forth your effort on murderers with no fixed address, no property, 6 different baby mommas that live all over the city, 2 grandmas and an extended gang network....or some yutz who owns property, pays taxes at that property, has a water bill, a BGE bill, credit cards, and a job? If you want to have a successful day and a good catch rate you go for the low hanging fruit. If you take a close look at those sheriff deputies hanging around the courthouses, the don't instill confidence in their ability to run fast and catch people, but they could do some damage at the donut shop for sure.
ReplyDeleteIt's the same regarding state revenue. Do you chase the large Maryland-based corporation that rents a PO Box in Dewey Beach, then chooses to incorporate in tax-free Delaware or do you install hundreds of speed cameras and fine dog owners for having their aged and dying chihuahuas off-leash? More low hanging fruitistas!
Just to defend the hard working Sheriff's Deputies of Baltimore City - the one's you see at the courthouse that do not instill confidence are not the deputies serving the warrants. The Sherriff’s office has many divisions and rotations and a Deputy on light duty for one reason or another is assigned security duty at the courthouse. There are many more Deputies that are up at 4am in the morning, in tip top shape, who risk their lives every day to serve warrants. Just this year, two Deputies were shot trying to serve warrants in our not-so-fair city.
ReplyDeleteI also don’t think the Sherriff picks and chooses the “low hanging fruit.” The Sherriff gets stacks of warrants everyday the Sherriff takes every warrant signed by a judge very seriously. Whether it’s for deadbeats not paying child support, Failure to Appears, and/or unpaid fines, the Sherriff tries to serve everyone. It just so happens that people with addresses are easier to find and of course the Deputies start at the last known address of the person they’re trying to serve. Regardless, if the Deputies don’t have an address, they don’t just shelve the warrant, they try everyday to track the person down and follow up on leads…they also post wanted posters etc…