* 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
Introduced by: The Council President
At the request of: The Administration (Office of the Mayor)
A Resolution Entitled
A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council concerning
title
Police Department of Baltimore City - Police Districts - Redistricting
For the purpose of establishing new boundaries of the Baltimore Police Department Police Districts; and providing for a special effective date.
body
Recitals
Chapter 74 of the 2019 Laws of Maryland amends Subtitle 16 {“Police Department”} of the Code of Public Local Laws of Baltimore City (“PLL”), being Article 4 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland, requiring the Police Commissioner (the “Commissioner”) of the Police Department of Baltimore City (the “Department”) to “prepare a [redistricting] plan for the adjustment of the geographic boundaries and composition of each [police] district and the reallocation of the resources and personnel of the Department among the districts” following each decennial census. PLL, § 16-55(b).
The redistricting plan prepared by the Commissioner must utilize:
(i) decennial census population and housing data of the United States Census Bureau;
(ii) district call volume trends;
(iii) district response times; and
(iv) any other information deemed necessary by the Commissioner.
PLL, § 16-55(b)(1).
The Commissioner must present the redistricting plan to the Mayor and City Council “within 1 year from the issuance of the decennial census population and housing data by the United States Census Bureau”. PLL, § 16-55(b)(2).
The redistricting plan must be approved by a joint resolution of the Mayor and City Council within 180 days after the presentation of the redistricting plan. PLL, § 16-55(c). When approved by a resolution by the Mayor and City Council the plan is effective immediately.
Having evaluated the redistricting plan proposed by the Commissioner, the Mayor and the City Council believe that the plan keeps neighborhoods together, manages crime more effectively in each geographic area, creates a better alignment for the Crime Reduction Strategy, provides officer workload balance, optimizes resource allocation, and overall is in the best interests of the City of Baltimore.
Section 1. Be it resolved by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That, subject to the requirements established under the Code of Public Local Laws of Baltimore City, § 16-55 {“Redistricting”}, the Mayor and City Council approve the redistricting plan presented by the Commissioner contained in this Ordinance, including the attached police district boundary maps:
Exhibit 1: “Baltimore City Police Districts”;
Exhibit 2: “Baltimore City - Central Police District”;
Exhibit 3: “Baltimore City - Eastern Police District”;
Exhibit 4: “Baltimore City - Northern Police District”;
Exhibit 5: “Baltimore City - Northeastern Police District”;
Exhibit 6: “Baltimore City - Northwestern Police District”;
Exhibit 7: “Baltimore City - Southern Police District”;
Exhibit 8: “Baltimore City - Southeastern Police District”;
Exhibit 9: “Baltimore City - Southwestern Police District”; and
Exhibit 10: “Baltimore City - Western Police District”;
all dated 2022, which shall supersede any and all previous versions of the same.
Section 2. And be it further resolved, That the police district boundary maps approved by this Resolution are adopted as the Baltimore City Police Districts and are incorporated in and made part of this Resolution as fully as if they were set forth and described in this Resolution.
Section 3. And be it further resolved, That the police district boundary maps, both printed and electronic, may be taken by all public officials and others as evidence of the police district boundary maps approved and adopted by this Resolution.
Section 4. And be it further resolved, That the digital version of the police district boundaries are maintained in a geodatabase on the City’s geographic information system (“GIS”) server. The police district boundaries were created using Neighborhood Statistical Area (“NSA”) boundaries, both of which are maintained by the Department of Planning and the Department of Baltimore City Information and Technology Enterprise GIS Office. The NSA boundaries are updated every 10 years following the decennial census. The NSA boundaries were created using 2020 census block boundaries from 2020 Decennial Census administered by the U.S. Census Bureau. All data used to generate the police district boundaries are available to the public and may be viewed in online web applications.
Section 5. And be it further resolved, That this Resolution takes effect on the date it is enacted.