Thursday, October 22, 2009

A few Baltimore city pols think the BPD needs a makeover, after the resignation of EEOC chief Kim Johnson

8 comments:

Cham said...

The BPD needs a total overhaul. I'm convinced the Baltimore Police Department exists to serve the Baltimore Police Department. It wasn't always like this.

buzoncrime said...

Hmmmmmm. Cham---You're starting to sound a bit like Mr. Deputy Mayor who made the comment the other day that the purpose of the city is to provide services, not to provide benefits.

Buz wonders if he ever has a need for city services: ever call the fire department, or call the police department, or get clean water, or get the broken sewer line fixed in the middle of the night, or have your trash/recycling picked up regularly, or have the street and traffic lights maintained? etc., etc., etc.

I agree that some actions by some members of the police department may be boorish, and the administration is somewhat adrift, it didn't get this way overnight. And sometimes you wonder what's going on, but basically there is a police presence on the streets, and sometimes, even mostly, they will come promptly when called.

There have always been disciplinary problems in police departments, and always will be--that's the nature of the beast. Ultimately, it's the commissioner's department and for better or worse, he's responsible, ultimately, for the discipline there.
We couldn't help but notice the huge number of strange actions and dumb-ass stuff some city officers have done in the last few years; it's really puzzling. (As I say, cops doing bad has been around forever.) However, some of the stuff really makes it hard on most of the police who work there who are decent human beings, and trying to keep their heads down. God, you gotta wonder what's going on? Some of this stuff is crazy and makes all of us look bad.
And while the crime stats seem to be bearing out the good job the police have been doing (in some respects) with crime, clearly the administrative structure and people in that system are doing a disservice to the commissioner. I know some of the "personnel" stuff is hush-hush, but the lack of clarity is who did what is stunning.

Cham said...

I'm scratching my head here, trying to think of one positive thing the Baltimore City police has ever done for me during my 25 year stay in Baltimore City. I can't think of one. I can think of several occurrences when I have been needlessly harassed by the police officers including 2 in the last week.

However, I give very high marks to the fine people at the Public Works Department who always seem attentive.

Anonymous said...

in the grand scheme of bpd problems, this memogate hardly seems worth batting an eyelash at. of course, carter and young will speak out about anything

buzoncrime said...

Cham---Oh, well, I guess that's why the recent survey by UB showed the fire department being the most beloved city agency, followed by the library-Dr. Hayden's fine agency.

I've also seen the recent signs of aggressiveness by our young constabulary: one officer at an accident scene recently told me to "leave the area"--after asking me if I lived in the area (yes). And my pants were tucked in, and I was wearing a polo shirt and khakis, and no baseball hat (crooked/backwards or otherwise), and I had no visible tattoos. There's little doubt that if I went up on the sidewalk a few feet away, stood there, said I wasn't interfering with anything, etc., he would have arrested (and maybe enjoyed tasing) me. But I digress, dear Cham.

It's good that you've never had to call the police for assistance in 25 years in Charm City. And if you've been harassed needlessly twice in the last week, you must be more ornery than even I am.

Anonymous--Carter and Young are politicians.
In the grand scheme of things, Commissioner Bealefeld has the mayor's backing, and I'm sure if she thought in the least that he was a racist he wouldn't be where he is. The idea that he is somehow running a racist department is just ludicrous (to use the words of one of the mayor's lawyers). Some of these cases cited are, like the Reed memo, weird, but the city recently settled the suit, said we're moving on, and some folk won't accept that.

Cham, and others, though you, and sometimes I, have beefs with the police, the truth is that we need police, and we wish they were nice, but, you know, this is Baltimore. Perhaps pink flamingoes on the police cars would cheer everybody up?

Alas, the old saying: a policeman's lot is not a happy one.

Cham said...

I had a 1.5 hour conversation yesterday with 3 relatively nice police officers, after I was very rudely treated by 3 not-so-nice officers. I felt I needed to have a confab about what was going on.

What is going on is the officer the street are being given pretty explicit orders on how to treat the public by their superiors. You see my picture and I am amazed at the way I get treated, but then I learned what they do to anyone wearing gang-related accessories. It gave me chills. This is a top-down problem. The officers told me they're hands are tied, they have to do what they are told.

Am I going to put up with this? I've decided I'm not. So today I left a complaint message with my councilman's administrative assistant telling her we need to get some laws changed and give officers greater discretion. I am also amassing a list of 200 Inner Harbor business owners who are getting an email from me shortly explaining why I will no longer be using their services and buying products at their stores.

The downtown businesses wanted an increased police presence and more aggressive policing. They should congratulate themselves. They got it.

buzoncrime said...

Um, Cham, do you look like your picture? Just curious.
What sort of "gang-related" accessories do you wear, anyway?

Cham said...

That picture was taken at the beginning of April 09. Yesterday I was wearing a light sweater and khaki pants. I had pearl earrings and gym shoes. No gang accessories that I am aware, but those crazy gangs are always changing up their style.