'It Shouldn't Be Happening' | Mayor Jack Young Responds To Photo Appearing To Show BPD Officer Asleep In Patrol Car
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A Baltimore City police officer is caught on camera allegedly sleeping on the job.
The photo snapped Monday morning on East Eager Street near Johns Hopkins Hospital is being investigated, police say.
The photo allegedly shows a uniformed Baltimore City police officer sleeping in his marked patrol car.
"It shouldn't be happening," said Noah Smith, who works in East Baltimore.
Baltimore Mayor Jack Young said he doesn't know specifics, but said he plans on talking to the police commissioner.
"That's totally unacceptable. Anybody usually caught sleeping on the job usually is terminated," Young said.
Baltimore City Police said they're looking into it. The mayor and others say it's emblematic of larger issues in the Department.
"If you're tired, why sign up for overtime? The citizens of Baltimore want their officers alert, out-and-about, out of the cars and engaging with the community, and plus, it's a safety issue for them," Young said.
"You see them sleeping. You see them on their phone. You see them on the laptop. I'd just much rather see them walking around and interacting with the community," Smith said.
A spokesperson for the Police Union said if in fact, the officer was asleep, it's clearly a result of officers being overworked because of a shortage in numbers.
"He needs to get his rest in, I guess. Must have been changing shifts. He doesn't look like a young guy, so he's probably been on the force for quite some time," Willie Rouse said.
This is the second such photo or video in the past three months that may show an officer dozing off.
"It's disappointing. These guys are here working to protect us and that's not happening when they're sleeping, but it also shows that these guys are overworked," Smith said.
