In New York City, year to date, murders continue to be lower than last year (124 vs 140) and higher than record-low 2014 (112). Given the rise of homicide in so many other cities, this is great news. In Baltimore there were 26 murders in May. It’s hard to call this exactly “good news.” But last year, post riot, there…
Tag: Baltimore
“The Chop Leaves the City”
Here is one person’s decision to pack up and leave the city. It’s well worth reading. It’s a short move, two miles north, to the burbs. And he’s taking his tax dollars with him. This is especially worth reading if you think the biggest problem facing Baltimore is racism and policing. Or if you’re privileged enough to live in a…
You can’t make this sh*t up
Hours after posting about the police-involved killing of robber Robert Howard, I read Justin Fenton’s amazing storyabout the robber: “Man fatally shot by off-duty officer was also shot by police 20 years earlier.” Are you effing serious?! What are the odds? I don’t think anybody in American history has ever been shot by cops in two separate incidents. I don’t…
“He came in with a gun and announced a robbery!”
On April 15th, an off-duty Baltimore cop shot and killed a man. “Witnesses” said, according to WBAL: The officer was having an argument with the man outside the store and the man ran away toward the store. “As he was running in the store the police shot him, boom. When he got in the store, the police (officer) got over…
Bad Cop Good Movie: The Seven-Five
I’m finally getting around to watching The Seven Five, a documentary about the 75 Precinct in the 1980s and criminal cop Michael Dowd. Good stuff… the documentary, that is, not the cop. I like how the movie is told through three perspectives: the dirty cops, the cops who caught them, and the criminal the cops worked for. And of course…
56 Rounds: What it means to “have cops’ backs”
Yesterday I was asked by a journalist what it means for politicians and police brass to “have cops’ backs.” It’s a fair question. It doesn’t mean not being critical of police. It doesn’t mean defending cops when they make an unreasonable mistake. It does mean giving cops the benefit of the doubt and supporting officers when they do their job.…
“Prosecutors ordered officers in fatal shooting be read Miranda rights”
I’m surprised that I can still be surprised at Baltimore’s State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s continued battle again Baltimore’s police. I don’t know, maybe she thinks all cops are bad because she grew up around so many bad cops. But Freudian analysis aside, imagine if the public prosecutor was out to get you and your colleagues. This concerns the latest police-involved…
This city ain’t ready for reform!
Baltimore has 73,000 arrests per year in a city of 620,000. Mass arrest & incarceration are not working to combat #OpioidEpidemic — Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) March 29, 2016 No, it doesn’t. Wait a second… if you think Baltimore has 73,000 arrests, watch this magic: [POOF!] I just reduced arrests by 63 percent! There were fewer than 28,000 arrests in…
Who is this man?
Does anybody recognize this guy from Humans of New York? More than 13,000 shares and 147,000 likes on facebook. He says he was a Baltimore cop for 21 years and a heroin addict the entire time. It’s not inconceivable, but it doesn’t ring true. I see a guy sitting on a bench in NYC with a story. I don’t believe…
Good news: Baltimore Homicides in 2016 only up a little…
Baltimore homicides, year to date, are only up a bit compared to last year. Through March 24th, 50 this year compared to 47 in 2015. Rarely is more murder good news. But it’s certainly an improvement from last year, post riot. From May through December 2015, there were 269 murders in 244 days. So 50 murders in 84 days in…