Jack McCauley
Active Member
- Oct 16, 2014
- 193
Let me start by saying that some of the best police officers I have ever worked with come from the Baltimore City Police Department. In fact, the Baltimore City Homicide Unit was once training grounds for allied agency investigators who wanted to become homicide investigators in their own department. After attending a classroom type training course, investigators would shadow a Baltimore City Police detective for six weeks so they could learn the best techniques for homicide investigation. That speaks volumes to the talent level and expertise of the Baltimore City Officers.
If I am being honest, that level of pride no longer appears to exists. The department has been riddled with corruption. The results are that no matter how hard they work to reduce violent crime, their efforts are slowed by the constant interruption by a few bad apples. Poor hiring practices have undoubtedly contributed to this decline.
Having a relationship of trust with the community which you serve is paramount to the success of any police department. When violent crime levels fail to subside, our lawmakers begin looking for other solutions. To Maryland's misfortune, those lawmakers have targeted lawful gun owners and have created unnecessary restrictions in an effort to throw darts at the blurred target they call gun violence.
I have long stated that the Baltimore City Police Department should have the highest paid police officers anywhere in the State of Maryland. Very few places put such a level of stress on an officer and his/her family. They are walking into a war zone every time they report to work. They become hardened at the back and forth conflict between the many violent criminals they encounter on a daily basis. Finding that balance between the good citizens and the criminals can be difficult.
In 2012, the department hired an outside consulting firm to help them develop a "Strategic Plan for Improvement." Included within the final report was an analysis by the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police. I find it very compelling that within the report the Fraternal Order of Police state the following;
"During the past several years, the BPD has been in the news and court system due to the poor decisions and behavior made by a small segment of our police officers. The continued public humiliation that is a result of corruption and scandals involving that very small segment of the force has damaged public perception and internal morale among the larger ranks. The officers who cause the negative perceptions and press make up a minority of those employed by the BPD, but the entire BPD suffers when these improprieties are the subject of media and public scrutiny.
Our police officers are appalled by those individuals who betrayed their oath and have now pled guilty in the Majestic Towing scandal, along with others which
have come to light in recent years. Many now feel embarrassed to tell others they work for the BPD. The rank and file officers attribute this scandal directly to the lax hiring practices of the BPD."
The Fraternal Order of Police have made a list of recommendations to the Department they feel would help change the direction they are headed. I ask that you share this information with your representative. My experience tells me that the level of crime in Baltimore and the actions by a few corrupt officers strongly affects the type of statewide legislative action we see each year in Annapolis. If you want to focus on real issues and have these lawmakers stop targeting lawful gun owners then I suggest you bring this issue to light. Support the Fraternal Order of Police and the many excellent police officers of the Baltimore City Police Department. They don't need to be bashed for the bad actions of a few. They instead need to be recognized for the amazing work by many. They need to have their concerns addressed which they have brought to light on their own. The information shared by the men and women of the police department in this report should be taken into strong consideration. Only then will you see a violence reduction efforts headed in the right direction.
View attachment BPD FOP Report.pdf
View attachment BPD Strategic Plan for Improvement.pdf
If I am being honest, that level of pride no longer appears to exists. The department has been riddled with corruption. The results are that no matter how hard they work to reduce violent crime, their efforts are slowed by the constant interruption by a few bad apples. Poor hiring practices have undoubtedly contributed to this decline.
Having a relationship of trust with the community which you serve is paramount to the success of any police department. When violent crime levels fail to subside, our lawmakers begin looking for other solutions. To Maryland's misfortune, those lawmakers have targeted lawful gun owners and have created unnecessary restrictions in an effort to throw darts at the blurred target they call gun violence.
I have long stated that the Baltimore City Police Department should have the highest paid police officers anywhere in the State of Maryland. Very few places put such a level of stress on an officer and his/her family. They are walking into a war zone every time they report to work. They become hardened at the back and forth conflict between the many violent criminals they encounter on a daily basis. Finding that balance between the good citizens and the criminals can be difficult.
In 2012, the department hired an outside consulting firm to help them develop a "Strategic Plan for Improvement." Included within the final report was an analysis by the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police. I find it very compelling that within the report the Fraternal Order of Police state the following;
"During the past several years, the BPD has been in the news and court system due to the poor decisions and behavior made by a small segment of our police officers. The continued public humiliation that is a result of corruption and scandals involving that very small segment of the force has damaged public perception and internal morale among the larger ranks. The officers who cause the negative perceptions and press make up a minority of those employed by the BPD, but the entire BPD suffers when these improprieties are the subject of media and public scrutiny.
Our police officers are appalled by those individuals who betrayed their oath and have now pled guilty in the Majestic Towing scandal, along with others which
have come to light in recent years. Many now feel embarrassed to tell others they work for the BPD. The rank and file officers attribute this scandal directly to the lax hiring practices of the BPD."
The Fraternal Order of Police have made a list of recommendations to the Department they feel would help change the direction they are headed. I ask that you share this information with your representative. My experience tells me that the level of crime in Baltimore and the actions by a few corrupt officers strongly affects the type of statewide legislative action we see each year in Annapolis. If you want to focus on real issues and have these lawmakers stop targeting lawful gun owners then I suggest you bring this issue to light. Support the Fraternal Order of Police and the many excellent police officers of the Baltimore City Police Department. They don't need to be bashed for the bad actions of a few. They instead need to be recognized for the amazing work by many. They need to have their concerns addressed which they have brought to light on their own. The information shared by the men and women of the police department in this report should be taken into strong consideration. Only then will you see a violence reduction efforts headed in the right direction.
View attachment BPD FOP Report.pdf
View attachment BPD Strategic Plan for Improvement.pdf