Baltimore FOP On Violence: City Is Short 500 Officers, Blames Police Leadership
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Baltimore Police Fraternal Order of Police is responding after a violent weekend saying the city police department remains short 500 officers. They also criticized Police Commissioner Michael Harrison's leadership.
In a tweet, Baltimore's police union said, "500 Officers short! Homicides and shootings are pacing with last year's record violent crime stats and we have lost more Officers than we have hired over the last 2 years of PC Harrison's tenure in Baltimore."
5 Killed, 7 Other Shootings Reported In Violent Baltimore Weekend; Guns And Drugs Tied To Crimes
"No actionable crime plan at the street level!" the tweet continued. "In the last 13 days, there have been 19 homicides and 30 failed murders (shootings) in Baltimore. If your starting pitcher is getting crushed, you bench him!"
In a press conference Monday, Commissioner Harrison and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott addressed the violent weekend. Harrison said they are using data tools to assign more officers to areas where there's more crime.
He said some of the violence over the weekend was linked to drugs and an alleged gun sale. Harrison also added that some of the assailants were known to their victims.
Mayor Scott said while police should continue to use tactics to reduce violence, that the city must also look at things like drug addiction, target violent repeat offenders and illegal guns to ultimately lower the crime rate.
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