New BPD video touting successes draws mixed reaction
Originally published in FOX45 News
BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A new video released from the Baltimore City Police Department seemingly downplays the city’s crime crisis as the deadly gun violence continues to escalate.
The department calls the video release its latest stance on drug arrests and gun seizures. But some say it could be a public relations move, given the pushback the department is facing over the continuing crime problem.
FOX45 shared the video with city residents at a bus stop in west Baltimore Tuesday night. Police Commissioner Michael Harrison, the city council’s safety committee chair Mark Conway, and City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby are featured in the release.
Harrison is seen sharing statistics for 2021, including 893 narcotics arrests and 851 felony arrest so far this year.
“The data suggest that we must move past zero tolerance policing and prosecution,” said Mosby as she talks about her new policy of not prosecuting what she describes as low-level offenses, including drug possession and prostitution.
The department’s latest progress report on policing and policies comes at a time when the city is grappling with more than 300 homicides for a seventh year in row.
At a local bus stop, residents reacted to the video.
“It’s good information, yes, it’s good information. you need to know what they’re doing,” said Nathaniel Tates.
“But I think it’s more important for them to tell us how they’re going to get more of these guns off the streets and collect up on these people that are shooting people in the street,” said Pamela Dennis.
“I’m not sure, I think they did it just to make us feel safe,” said Letithia Jackson.
And at the Maryland Public Policy Institute, Sean Kennedy takes a closer look at why the video was made at this time.
“It’s a dog-and-pony show, it’s a total act, it’s theater,” said Kennedy. “People are complaining and the innocent victims that keep popping up. We have children and elderly folks being murdered. A good PR move would be bringing the crime rate down. Murders are actually up over the last year and people don’t really quite understand this."
But back at the bus stop, resident Robert Mumford said: “It means a lot to people in the community that are law-abiding people. It might not mean much to people that keep breaking the laws over and over and over."
The video is almost 5 minutes long and is posted on the department’s Facebook page.