US: Baltimore mayor fires police commissioner amid homicide rise

[webfact]

Baltimore mayor fires police commissioner amid homicide rise
By JULIET LINDERMAN

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore mayor fired the troubled city's police commissioner Wednesday, saying that a recent spike in homicides in the weeks after an unarmed black man died of injuries in police custody required a change in leadership.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake thanked Police Commissioner Anthony Batts for his service — and praised the job he had done — but said growing criticism of his performance had become a "distraction" that was preventing the city from moving ahead.

Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, who has only been with the department since January, will serve as interim commissioner, Rawlings-Blake said.

"We need a change," the mayor told a news conference, which was attended by Davis. "This was not an easy decision but it is one that is in the best interest of Baltimore. The people of Baltimore deserve better and we're going to get better."

The firing comes 2 1/2 months after the city broke out in riots following the death of Freddie Gray, who died in April of injuries he received in police custody. Six police officers have been criminally charged in Gray's death.

After the unrest, arrests in the city plummeted and homicides spiked. In the latest example, gunmen jumped out of two vans and fired at a group of people a few blocks from an urban university campus Tuesday night, killing three people.

Police said Wednesday that the shooting wasn't random, but no arrests have been made.

"As we have seen in recent weeks, too many continue to die on our streets," Rawlings-Blake said. Referring to Batts, she said "recent events proved that his being here was a distraction."

"We cannot continue to debate the leadership of the department," the mayor said. "We cannot continue to have the level of violence we've seen in recent weeks in this city."

Baltimore's homicide total this year is 155, according to police. That's a 48 percent increase compared with the same time last year. Shootings have increased 86 percent.

The Rev. Alvin Gwynn Sr., president of the city's Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, said the firing was long overdue. Gwynn, who began calling for Batts' resignation within days of Gray's death, blamed the bloody spike in violence on the mayor's previous reluctance to fire the commissioner.

"We have people who died because they delayed," he said Wednesday.

The U.S. Justice Department is conducting a civil rights review of the department, and on Tuesday, Batts announced that an outside organization will review the police response to the civil unrest that followed Gray's death. Most of the unrest took place on April 27, prompted by Gray's death on April 19.

The Baltimore police union released its own scathing post-mortem report Tuesday accusing Batts and other top brass of instructing officers not to engage with rioters and to allow looting and destruction to occur.

"The officers repeatedly expressed concern that the passive response of the Baltimore police commanders to the civil unrest allowed the disorder to grow into full-scale rioting," Gene Ryan, president of the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3, wrote in the report. "The riots were preventable."

Following Batts' firing Wednesday, the union issued a statement reiterating the report's concerns but also said it would work with Davis to improve the situation.

Davis was previously chief of police in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and assistant chief in Prince George's County, Maryland. The mayor said that in addition to reducing crime, Davis would "bring accountability to police, hold officers who act out of line accountable for their actions."

Rod J. Rosenstein, U.S. Attorney for Maryland, praised Davis, saying he helped reform the Prince George's County Police Department, "raising morale and professionalism while dramatically reducing crime."

In his own remarks to the news conference, Davis said his goals would include improving the relationship with the officers who work for him. "I will walk with them and serve with them and be with them every step of the way," he said.

But Davis also has indicated a willingness in the past to speak out against police abuses.

As Anne Arundel chief, he issued a news release disagreeing with a decision by the county Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 70 to donate $1,070 to a defense fund for Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. Wilson, who is white, fatally shot Michael Brown, an unarmed black man, on Aug. 9.

Rawlings-Blake appointed Batts as police commissioner in September 2012.

His contract with the city paid him $190,000 and was to run through June 2020. It includes a provision for a severance payment equal to his annual salary if he is terminated without cause.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-07-09

[Pimay1]

"We need a change," the mayor told a news conference

The change that needs to be made is the firing of the mayor and replace her with someone who will not give the rioters a free hand to destroy the city.

[Loptr]

I would have thought that Marilyn Mosby would have been shown the door too, but I guess that feminist black women stick together like glue...

[Publicus]

Good riddance.

This action establishes what happens when a police commander(s) encourage, order or allow/permit police to not do their responsibilities or duties in their community. Any time, place or circumstance in which a cop or cops think they make the rules of police conduct, or make the policies concerning police demeanor or behavior, is the adios day for 'em.

Any one or all.

Cause all that happened in this instance is that there's a new chief coming to town. And the new chief will have his way from the top to bottom of the force and department.

[ABCer]

Comments:

1) All of them in this video - blacks.

2) Despite of 1) - a "spike in homicides".

3) Police Chief kicks out cops.

4) Mayor kicks out Police Chief.

5) Who, when and what for will kick out Mayor?

I am sure the above comments qualify my post as "sexist, racist and subversist". Not sure if a question mark is needed...

[shiroboi]

So proud of my home city.

[stevenl]

Comments:

1) All of them in this video - blacks.

2) Despite of 1) - a "spike in homicides".

3) Police Chief kicks out cops.

4) Mayor kicks out Police Chief.

5) Who, when and what for will kick out Mayor?

I am sure the above comments qualify my post as "sexist, racist and subversist". Not sure if a question mark is needed...

Why, what is sexist in your post?

[spidermike007]

Maybe every chief of every police department in the US, should be given a test to determine their level of tolerance for people of color and mixed ethnicity. Bigots need to be rooted out. They have no place leading a police department. The police in the US, in many cities, are demonstrating a lack of control. Some of that might be coming from the top.

[Nobb]

Mayor you must decide what you want from your police. Stand down during riots and blame police about racial tension. Police can not do there job with a black major looking over there backs because they want to keep racial tension down. If they arrest a black racial tensions back up. Mayor you are the problem and a racist at that and you are the one who should be fired. Blacks burning the city and black mayor tell police to stand down!

[Publicus]

The mayor is popularly elected and can be removed only by a special recall vote of the registered voters of the City. A recall vote can be called by the election officials if enough signatures are secured on specific petitions. So far no dice and not even close.

Police allowing a violent homicide crime wave throughout the city is itself criminal behavior so the responsible police should be fired if not charged under the law. This busted chief of police might want to get out of town and the state while the gettin's still good.

The mayor could have petitioned a state court for a Writ of Mandamus to order the chief to execute his office but who wants to get tied up in the courts in the present instance, so dismissing the denizen was definitely the best option.

[chuckd]

Maybe every chief of every police department in the US, should be given a test to determine their level of tolerance for people of color and mixed ethnicity. Bigots need to be rooted out. They have no place leading a police department. The police in the US, in many cities, are demonstrating a lack of control. Some of that might be coming from the top.

Uh, former Baltimore Police Chief Anthony Batts is a black man.

Are you claiming he is a racist and bigot?

[chuckd]

Good riddance.

This action establishes what happens when a police commander(s) encourage, order or allow/permit police to not do their responsibilities or duties in their community. Any time, place or circumstance in which a cop or cops think they make the rules of police conduct, or make the policies concerning police demeanor or behavior, is the adios day for 'em.

Any one or all.

Cause all that happened in this instance is that there's a new chief coming to town. And the new chief will have his way from the top to bottom of the force and department.

Aren't we lucky to have an "International Watchdog" on top of this one?

I'm nominating you as the new head of the Baltimore K-9 unit.

Permit me to second your nomination. I further move he be elected by acclamation.

He has that 50 year old dog photo on speed dial. It has been posted on nearly every thread in this forum pertaining to law enforcement and the black community. Wonder what spamming is.

A couple of points not earlier discussed.

The Prosecuting Attorney for Baltimore is also an elected official. She could and should be removed for dereliction of duty, but that goes for the Mayor as well. Recall elections in order here?

And finally, Baltimore is a Sanctuary city for illegal immigrants. I wonder how much that contributes to their crime problem.

[wat]

Looks like the police chief forgot to juke the stats.

Too bad he didn't have Snoop and Chris hiding bodies in the abandoned houses to lower the homicide rate.

[spidermike007]

Maybe every chief of every police department in the US, should be given a test to determine their level of tolerance for people of color and mixed ethnicity. Bigots need to be rooted out. They have no place leading a police department. The police in the US, in many cities, are demonstrating a lack of control. Some of that might be coming from the top.

Uh, former Baltimore Police Chief Anthony Batts is a black man.

Are you claiming he is a racist and bigot?

How would I know? Maybe he has it in for Mexicans, or Indians? I do not think it is a safe, nor a fair thing to conclude, that all black men are free of racism, nor prejudice, nor bigotry.

[ABCer]

Comments:

1) All of them in this video - blacks.

2) Despite of 1) - a "spike in homicides".

3) Police Chief kicks out cops.

4) Mayor kicks out Police Chief.

5) Who, when and what for will kick out Mayor?

I am sure the above comments qualify my post as "sexist, racist and subversist". Not sure if a question mark is needed...

Why, what is sexist in your post?

No 5) - Kicking out a Mayor who happens to be a black female - would be racist and sexist. I am not sure but if she happens to be Muslim as well - than I am subversive and Politically Correct ... NOT!

True, I may be right or I may be wrong. Or I may be a lunatic you are looking for.

[jjJJ1133]

Maybe every chief of every police department in the US, should be given a test to determine their level of tolerance for people of color and mixed ethnicity. Bigots need to be rooted out. They have no place leading a police department. The police in the US, in many cities, are demonstrating a lack of control. Some of that might be coming from the top.

Tolerance for people of color? Really? I live here in Baltimore. The police were ordered to "Stand down" - they were pummeled with rocks from the blacks and were not allowed to engage rioters/looters. The city is a mess. At last count 27 Pharmacies and 2 methadone clinics were broken, looted and some set on fire. Not only were drugs stolen but patients personal medical information was stolen prompting pharmacies to warn people of identity fraud. Quote from Chief of police Anthony Batts (who is Black) "There are enough narcotics on the streets of Baltimore to keep it intoxicated for a year"