Mayor Sheila Dixon is bringing people together to make our city safer. She is working to get the guns and violent criminals off our streets. She is fighting crime block by block in partnership with each neighborhood and local business. And, she's retaining our best police officers and recruiting hundreds of new ones.
Her crime plan consists of three main components.
- Targeted Enforcement. Through targeted enforcement, we must go after our city's most violent offenders. The most violent crimes are being committed by the same small group of people with illegal guns. Our targeted enforcement strategy focuses on four elements:
- Focus resources on violent crime and violent offenders.
- Go after guns.
- Effectively manage existing resources
- Firearms Bureau - eliminating 6 month ballistic test backlog
- Control overtime spending without compromising safety and investigations
- Community Engagement. Community engagement is crucial - we must have more communication between community groups and our police. When neighbors stay vigilant - and police are out of their cars walking through neighborhoods – together we can prevent crime. Adopt-a-Block programs and increased partnerships are critical to preventing violent crime. Our community engagement strategy focuses on implementing the following elements:
- Operation Protect
- Law Enforcement + City Services + Community Projects
- Adopt-a-Block
- BPD Youth Services Division
- Operation Crime Watch (organize Citizens on Patrol (COP) and neighborhood watch)
- Foot Patrols
- Emergency Crime Meetings at City Hall
- Stop Sinning Campaign
- Building Strong Partnerships. Finally, federal and state law enforcement are working together with our city police to share information and collaborate to stop illegal guns and disperse gang activity. Building strong partnerships encompasses the following elements:
- Baltimore EXILE -- ups the ante for gun crimes by taking cases through Federal court system.
- Gang Strategy
- Operation Safe Streets & anti-gang grants to non-government groups
- Multi-jurisdictional gang intel briefings
- Alternatives for those who want to get out of the game
- Strong joint suppression and prosecution of gang violence
- Gun Strategy
- Gun Task Force - target enforcement and suppress gun trafficking
- Gun Stat - multi-agency effort to ensure accountability and develop data to inform gun seizure agenda
- Legislation that will deter gun crime
- Emphasis on "CSI" (ballistics, trace data, shell casing, etc.)
Police Department Staffing & Recruitment
Mayor Dixon's plan for tackling the chronic staffing problems at the police department are as follows:
Increase Recruitment Goal from 240 to 300 New Police Officers
This year, the BPD's goal is to recruit a total of 240 new officers and to enroll 40 in each academy class. In order to keep up with attrition and fill existing vacancies, the BDP should increase its goal to recruit 300 new officers and enlarge each academy class from 40 to 50 trainees.
Study and Rejuvenate Recruitment and Training Process
An in-depth and longer term analysis of BPD's recruiting and training process. Over the past several years, the BPD has taken steps to make the process more efficient; however, more can be done. An in-depth study should be undertaken to determine ways to streamline the recruitment process, maximize the use of marketing funds, improve the percentage of recruits who qualify for the academy and create performance measures for the recruitment and training division.
Analyze Impact of Marketing
Preliminary data shows that BPD could be getting a stronger return on its marketing investment. BPD obtains the majority of its recruits from targeted recruiting trips, friend/officer referral and the internet. BPD should develop and implement performance measures to evaluate marketing success.
Provide Tutoring and Training Courses to Candidates who Fail the CST
Based on BPD statistics, 1187 of 2218 (40.1%) of police officer candidates failed the CST in 2006. This represents the largest number and proportion of police officer candidates excluded from advancing into BPD for any reason (i.e. failing the agility, physical, background, or psychological tests). Tutoring and training classes would enhance the skills of candidates on concepts tested in the CST with the goal of preparing candidates to pass the CST. Physical fitness classes could also be provided to help prepare candidates for the agility test. Both NYPD and LAPD provide free candidate assistance programs of this nature. Baltimore County has an online CST preparation manual with sample questions.
Expansion of Cadet Program by 40 Cadets
To date, the program has an 84% cadet retention rate. Since 2005, 40 cadets have reached the age of police academy eligibility and 39 have entered -- 98% success rate. Therefore, the cadet program has and will likely continue to provide a steady flow of police officer trainees. Additionally, the program targets Baltimore City high school graduates and provides career opportunity for Baltimore youth.
The "LEAP AHEAD CAMPAIGN" (Law Enforcement Assistance Program – Attracting Highly Educated Applicant Designees)
LEAP is a first step, a joint venture, an extension of the mayor's partnership for progress philosophy. It is designed to inspire and challenge our best and brightest to make a difference in our city by serving in law enforcement. The Leap Ahead Campaign would be launched as pilot project and $1 million would be set aside to support the initiative.
The plan will be funded by the city and with available federal grant money.
