* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: President Rawlings-Blake
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Special Inter-Agency Police Training Initiative
FOR the purpose of requesting the Baltimore City State's Attorney and the Baltimore City Police Commissioner to cooperatively develop an inter-agency training program for police officers to ensure the protection of citizen's rights, the promotion of police integrity, and the implementation of arrest policies that support effective prosecution of criminals and the removal of dangerous individuals that threaten the law abiding citizens of Baltimore City's neighborhoods.
Body
Recitals
The Public Safety Strategy of our Baltimore City Police Department is to reduce violent crime and strengthen public trust through: 1) targeted enforcement; 2) community engagement; and 3) building strong partnerships. Police officials express optimism about reaching these goals because: overall violent crime has dropped 17% from the same time last year; 881 illegal guns, including 408 automatic weapons have been seized; thru mid-April, more than $1,297,451 in currency and narcotics with a street value of $11,799,000 has been seized, and; there have been 2,534 fewer arrests this year, a 41% drop in excessive force complaints, and a 29% drop in discourtesy complaints against officers.
In a June 2007, meeting with City Council members, rank and file police officers expressed their 100% commitment to the City of Baltimore and the safety of its citizens and, while selflessly accepting the fact that their vocation comes with a certain sacrifice they willingly accept, the officers expressed a desire for changes among command staff to restore morale and trust in leadership. They noted that better training for officers and mentorship from their superiors would be a considered step toward achieving that outcome.
Historically, Police Command and the Office of the State's Attorney had agreed there is a need for the ongoing training of police officers and several years ago officials from the 2 agencies co-taught in-service training officers and detectives recognizing that training, particularly in the areas of report writing and 4th amendment law, was of mutual benefit to the Police Department and the Baltimore City State's Attorney Office. Officials from the State's Attorney's office recommended that annual in-service training be expanded to include a program focused on community relations and diversity because an improvement in the police relationship with residents would enhance public confidence and cooperation with law enforcement.
As is the basic precept of the Office of Community Oriented Policing of the International Association of Chiefs of Police's - ... "the core mission of police agencies should encompass the protection of the community members' civil rights along with the enforcement of laws and the maintenance of public safety. The mutual trust that is engendered by policing practices that are respectful, fair, and unbiased is the critical element in establishing strong police-community partnerships."
To simultaneously assure the civil rights protections of Baltimore's citizens, provide for the general public safety, and provide the support that our men and women in blue need and deserve is an undertaking that is complex and critical. The complexities inherent in this endeavor cannot be deciphered by a lone officer or a lone agency, but must be the product of the cooperative efforts of all stakeholders.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Baltimore City State's Attorney and the Baltimore City Police Commissioner are requested to cooperatively develop an inter-agency training program for police officers to ensure the protection of citizens' rights, the promotion of police integrity, and the implementation of arrest policies that support effective prosecution of criminals and the removal of dangerous individuals that threaten the law-abiding citizens of Baltimore City's neighborhoods.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Baltimore City Police Commissioner, the Baltimore City State's Attorney, the Director of Finance, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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dlr07-1385~intro/09Aug07
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