BPD.2016ComRepPRF3.19.17 Final

The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 1

M I S S I ON   STAT E M E N T

THE BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DEDICATED TO FOSTERING TRUST WITH
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, SAFEGUARDING LIFE AND PROPERTY, AND PROMOTING
PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGH ENFORCING THE LAW IN A FAIR AND IMPARTIAL MANNER.
OFFICERS WILL POLICE WITH INTEGRITY, DIGNITY, HONOR, AND RESPECT WITH A
COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THE HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARDS ARE MAINTAINED.

2 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

March 13, 2017 Catherine E. Pugh
Mayor
Dear Baltimore:

I proudly present you with The Police Commissioner’s 2016 Report of the Baltimore Police Department. The BPD
faced challenges in 2016 that were unprecedented in Baltimore’s history. While I am not satisfied with the
level of violence experienced in 2016, I am proud of BPD’s accomplishments, which would not have been
possible without the extraordinarily hard work of the men and women of the Department.

The BPD is committed to stemming the tide of violent crime, further strengthening our relationship with
you, the community, and building on the improvement of policing practices that are already underway.

This report not only details our accomplishments in 2016 but our shared goals for 2017. Through partnership
and collaboration with our diverse Baltimore community, we look forward to making Baltimore safer for all
its visitors and residents.


  Sincerely,

Kevin Davis
Police Commissioner

Kevin Davis
Police Commissioner

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 3

KEVIN DAVIS
Police Commissioner

DEAN PALMERE
Deputy Police Commissioner, Operations Bureau

DARRYL DE SOUSA
Deputy Police Commissioner, IACP Fellowship

JASON JOHNSON
Deputy Police Commissioner, Strategic Services Bureau
4 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Mayoral Letter –

“I am committed to interrupting the cycle of violence that plagues Baltimore neighborhoods and families through innovative crime
fighting strategies and meaningful partnerships and collaboration.” POLICE COMMISSIONER KEVIN DAVIS

Stanley Brandford Osborne Robinson III

Chief, Criminal Investigation Division Chief, Patrol Division

Steven O’Dell Melvin Russell

Chief, Forensic Science & Evidence Management Division Chief, Community Collaboration Division

Rodney Hill TJ Smith

Chief, Office of Professional Responsibility Chief, Media Relations

Melissa Hyatt Caroline Sturgis

Chief, Special Operations & Development Division Chief, Management Services Division

Ganesha Martin Andrew Vetter

Chief, Compliance, Accountability & External Affairs Division Chief of Staff

Richard Worley

Inspector, Patrol Division

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6 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

table of contents

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 7

· Accomplishments – Probably 2 pages, maybe less –

The core of BPD’s crime strategy is focusing resources on the areas
where our efforts are likely to have the greatest impact on reducing
violent crime and improving the quality of life for our citizens.
Equally important, our strategy focuses on instilling a community
policing mindset throughout the agency, effectively communicating
with the public, and building trust. We employ a data-driven and
targeted enforcement policing model, capitalizing upon partner
agencies and technology as force multipliers. At a time when the
Department’s human resources are stretched thinner than ever, we
focus proactive policing and investigations on known offenders and
criminal organizations, maximizing the impact of our personnel
through effective communication, coordination, and information
sharing. In order to win the crime fight, all arms of the BPD must be
working in harmony.

We believe performance should be tracked and measured against
our goals. However, our policing philosophy relies not on “stats”
alone, but intelligence-driven enforcement. BPD recognizes that a
lot more goes into reducing violence than making high numbers
of arrests and seizing large quantities of drugs. Sustained crime
reductions can only be achieved by focusing actions around the
most violent individuals and organizations.

While achieving compliance with the federal consent decree in
the coming years will be extraordinarily resource intensive, it will
ultimately result in improvements to accountability, training, policy,
supervision, and technology. These improvements will not come at
the expense of crime increases. We remain mindful that the greatest
service our agency can provide to the citizens of Baltimore is safe
communities.

8 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

“Becoming a police officer was my determination to be a better me. There’s no better way to serve than serving the community
you were raised in.” POLICE OFFICER TIMIKA DYSON —STRATEGIC SERVICES BUREAU

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Over the last year, BPD has made many efforts to infuse a community policing mindset throughout all levels of the agency, more effectively communicate with the public,
and build trust between the police and the community. While it is difficult to change the culture of a large organization in one year, these efforts are already paying
dividends. It is undoubtedly true that the more the public knows about the BPD and the more connected they feel to the police, the safer they feel. Relationship building
not only results in greater feelings of public safety, it also contributes to a relationship of trust. Neighborhoods are made safer when the police and community trust one
another – a product of open lines of communication and information-sharing.

(CCD)Community Collaboration Division

In 2016, Community Collaboration Division officers engaged
in extensive community outreach efforts, with a particular
emphasis on community associations, faith leaders, youth,

and ex-offenders. One of the division’s more successful
programs is the Police Chaplaincy Program, where faith
leaders receive specialized training and then integrate
directly into the BPD to help officers build relationships with
the community. In 2016 alone, 76 chaplains graduated from
the training program and are now serving in Baltimore’s

neighborhoods alongside police officers.

10 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

“We’re committed to reducing crime in our city by directly engaging, listening and implementing inititives that will not only bridge
the gap between all members of our communities and police, but create a healthy, ongoing collaboration between the two.”

CHIEF MELVIN RUSSELL – COMMUNITY COLLABORATION DIVISION

Communications & Social Media Building Transparency

Media Relations disseminates information about the Police Department to citizens as Transparency
well as local and national media outlets. Keeping the public informed about crime,
community outreach, and notable case closures are just some of the things Media The BPD has dramatically increased the amount of information
Relations does for the agency. made available to the public through a “Transparency” page on
the BPD website. Members of the public now have access to
The BPD Media Relations team is using social media on several fronts to build public information about disciplinary outcomes, the administrative
confidence and trust in our Department. hearing schedule, police-involved shootings, departmental
policies, and the complaint process. Detailed information about
„ BPD’s Twitter handle, @BaltimorePolice, has over 235,800 followers, and crime and calls for service is available on Open Baltimore.
its Facebook page has over 155,000 followers. These accounts promote our many
partnerships with the community, provide crime updates, solicit crime tips, and Telephone Reporting Unit
connect directly with community members.
The BPD has been encouraging more citizens to file police
„ All BPD press events are streamed live on Periscope and Facebook Live. reports through the Telephone Reporting Unit (TRU), which
is staffed by police officers who are temporarily unable to work
„ “Wanted Wednesday” is a regular feature on Facebook and Twitter to make the street. In 2016, the TRU handled 28,275 calls for service and
the public aware of people who are wanted on arrest warrants. Nearly half wrote 2,798 police reports, including 1,912 larceny from auto
of all profiled subjects have been arrested since appearing on an episode of reports, 1,068 destruction of property reports, and 590 larceny
BPD #WantedWednesday. reports. The TRU helps decrease the number of calls for service
to which patrol officers must respond, thus increasing the
„ Media Relations staff appear weekly on WBAL Radio’s C4 Show for “BPD Case amount of discretionary time they have to conduct proactive
Files,” where they brief the public on an active investigation in the hope of patrol and enforcement.
receiving tips that will help detectives close the case.

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Reductions in violent crime are made by focusing operational and investigative resources on strategic targets and building large-scale conspiracy investigations against
criminal organizations. The Department works with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to mount long-term investigations into criminal organizations that
drive violent crime, and to strategically conduct enforcement on Baltimore’s “Trigger Pullers” - persons known for their involvement in homicides and non-fatal shootings
and who demand the criminal justice system’s focused attention to save lives, prevent retaliatory violence, and make Baltimore’s streets safer.

War Room

The War Room is BPD’s primary intelligence and analysis platform
used to cultivate and operationalize information pertaining to violent
crime patterns, trends, and the city’s most violent criminals. War
Room partners include the BPD; Office of the State’s Attorney; Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Drug Enforcement Agency;
Homeland Security Initiatives; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S.
Marshal Service; U.S. Attorney’s Office; and the Office of the Attorney
General.

In 2016, investigations tied to the War Room led to the recovery of 18
victims of human trafficking, 43 individuals were arrested / indicted
pursuant to a Homeland Security wiretap investigation and BPD’s
partnership with ATF led to 306 total indictments in 2016, including
several hundred federal “Disarm” cases (illegal firearms possession).

12 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Drug Organizations and Trigger Pullers Removing Guns
from the Streets
BPD investigators have cultivated a list of 254 drug organizations citywide with 3,950 members.
All of BPD’s operational and patrol units
During the course of the year detectives initiated narcotic investigations leading to the criminal share the goal of seizing as many illegal guns
indictment of over 64 individuals associated with the following drug organizations:
on Baltimore’s streets as possible.
„ Baker St. & McKean Ave (Western District) – 17 criminal indictments of The Department has been
“Black Guerilla Family” gang members.
incredibly effective in these efforts.
„ W. Pratt St. & S. Carey St. (Southern District) – 17 criminal indictments of
“Black Guerilla Family” gang members. In 2016, the Department made
1,545 gun arrests,
„ Frederick Ave. & S. Calverton St. (Southwestern District) – 11 criminal indictments of
“Black Guerilla Family” gang members. compared to 1,318 in 2015 –

„ Perkins Homes (Southeastern District) – 10 criminal indictments a 17% increase.

„ 2200 Blk. Christian St. (Southwestern District) – 9 criminal indictments
of “Bloods” gang members.

Additionally, the Department currently maintains a list of 165 “Trigger Pullers” - persons who
are identified as members of an organized criminal enterprise (drug organization/gang) and are
persons of interest in a homicide or non-fatal shooting, or have been shot and are expected to
retaliate with violence. Patrol officers are provided with information on each of the Department’s
“Trigger Pullers” so that the officers can conduct proactive enforcement on them and share
information about their activities with intelligence analysts and detectives.

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While most of a patrol officer’s time is consumed by responding to calls for service and engaging with community members, BPD commanders direct patrol officers to use
their discretionary time in the most effective way possible.

Knock & Talks

BPD has a program in which patrol officers proactively engage known repeat
violent offenders by “knock and talks” at known addresses. This sends a
message to bad actors that they are on the Department’s radar screen and
potentially deters future violent acts.

Integration with Parole and Probation

Patrol officers work in concert with Department of Parole and Probation
agents to identify and locate known repeat offenders. Preventing known
criminals with parole violations from remaining on the street is a critical
violence prevention strategy. These efforts are focused on those individuals
most likely to be associated with violent crime.

New Generation of Skilled Foot Patrol Officers

Commissioner Davis has made changes that will result in a new generation
of young officers with a high level of proficiency in “Community Foot Patrol.”
This unique course, taught in the Academy, is unlike any other in the country.
To reinforce the curriculum and instill proper habits from day one, all new
graduates of the police academy spend their first 90 days of the job on foot
patrol in strategic locations throughout Baltimore.

14 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

“Our goal is to have the nine separate and distinct police districts work together and in unison with other City agencies
to reduce crime in 2017.” INSPECTOR RICHARD WORLEY – PATROL DIVISION

Community Hero

The Baltimore Orioles established the Birdland Community Heroes Program
to recognize community heroes who inspire others through their spirited
commitment to extend a hand in charity, service, hope, and harmony. This
recognition honors the heroism of members of the extended Orioles community
from all walks of life, occupations, and diverse backgrounds who have
distinguished themselves by selflessly working or volunteering in fields that care
for, serve, teach, protect, and improve the lives of others who are most in need.

In 2016, the Birdland Community Heroes Program recognized Baltimore Police
Officer Sufian Hassan for exemplifying this spirit through service to the Penn-
North Community. Major Sheree Briscoe, Commander of the Western District,
says Officer Hassan has shown a tremendous aptitude and commitment toward
community policing.

Whether on the job or his personal time, Officer Hassan attends bi-weekly
sessions in partnership with “Community Mediation Maryland.” Designed to
facilitate conversations between residents and officers of the Western District,
the mediation sessions have developed into a pilot program that seeks to divert
low-level offenders from arrest to community-based services. Officer Hassan was
the first BPD member to put this practice into action, even before the launch of
the program. Rather than arrest a juvenile for a low-level drug offense, Officer
Hassan contacted a trusted community member who specializes in youth
guidance. Together, the mentor and Officer Hassan intervened in the young
man’s life, focusing on his development and keeping him out of the criminal
justice system.

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The Forensic Science & Evidence Management Division, commonly referred to as the “Crime Lab,” is charged with providing the highest quality and most accurate,
understandable, and efficient forensic scientific support available. While the Crime Lab is often thought of as one lab, it is actually comprised of many different laboratories:
firearms, latent prints, drugs, DNA, serology, questioned documents, and trace analysis (i.e., GSR, arson, glass, fiber, paint, physical match, and chemical unknowns). The
“external” pieces of the forensic puzzle are forensic art, crime scene, evidence control, photography, quality assurance, and administration.

BPD’s Crime Lab has one of the largest scopes of international accreditation in the United States, which speaks to the reliability, integrity, and overall quality of its work
product. It is also among the busiest crime labs in the country. However, even with its daunting workload, 2016 saw much innovation with a number of significant
accomplishments.

New Equipment and Technology

„ Continued validation efforts on the Vampire Forensic Tactical Device, completing over 17,000 print analyses.
„ Employed 360-degree laser scanning technology on 15 police officer involved shootings and one homicide; for
the first time in Baltimore City, this technology was admitted as evidence in a criminal trial.
„ Received an iSTAR HDR rapid imaging system and FARO Freestyle 3Dx (hand laser scanner) to further
improve documentation and analysis of crime scenes.
„ Completed the first full year using TrueAllele probabilistic genotyping software in complex interpretation
casework.
„ Validated and implemented new high-capacity robotics for DNA extraction and new methods of DNA processing.
„ Rolled out the Latent Print Analysis Unit’s first Laboratory Information Management System to digitize reporting.

Forensic Laboratory Section Casework Statistics 2016 Database Hits 2016

Forensic Discipline Submissions Completed Backlog Database Hits Change 2015
Firearms
Latents 4222 3939 1069 AFIS 689 +1%
DNA
Serology 3358 2291 8145 CODIS 161 -8%
Drugs
Trace 692 600 229 IBIS 391 +60%
TOTAL
735 705 47 AFIS = Automated Fingerprint Identification System
CODIS=Combined DNA Index System
11,328 5,820 14,179
IBIS=Integrated Ballistics Identification System
143 109 169

20,478 13,464 23,838

16 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Improved Process & Outcomes Reorganization

„ Completed analysis on over 12,000 latent print lift cards. From these analyses, 2,777 were of suitable „ Absorbed the Evidence Control Unit, resulting
in the formation of a larger Forensic Sciences
quality for entry into the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), resulting in an and Evidence Management Division.
approximate hit rate of 25%, a number that is consistent with or slightly above the national average.
„ Reclassified “Criminalist” positions as Forensic
„ Analyzed over 4,500 cartridge cases and 1,000 projectiles and increased the number of Integrated Scientists, aligning the city with the national
trend and marking the completion of a multi-
Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) “hits” by more than 60% with a record year of 391. year project.

„ Completed a digital solution (“CrimePad”) for crime scene documentation and report generation „ Created a concept unit referred to as Bio/Print
Triage – a combination of serology and latent
which will have a significant impact on the Crime Scene Unit’s operations. print development – that successfully processed
more than 1,800 items for latent prints.
„ Improved ballistic hit turnaround time by more than 3 months by streamlining workflow. On
„ Restructured the Drug Analysis Unit into two
average, hits are turned around to investigators within approximately 3 days, which has significant teams – one for circuit court cases and the other
for district court cases – to facilitate process
implications for a detective’s ability to link and close cases and to prevent retaliatory violence. improvements for greater efficiencies.

„ Increased the average turnaround time of DNA analyses from 160 days to 60 days.

„ Linked 12 groups of cases through DNA hits, including hits as far away as Texas.

„ Processed over 17,000 units in drug analysis with an improved average turnaround of 51 days.

Crime Scene Sciences/Evidence Section - Casework Statistics 2016 Metrics:

Total Requests for Service/ Crime Scene: 14,564

Chemical Testing Alcohol/ Crime Scene: 330

Total Items Received/ Evidence Control: 86,848

Total Film Rolls Processed/ Photography: 239 Change 2015 -76%

Total Photograph Prints/ Photography: 32,593 Change 2015 -57%

Total CD/DVD’s Made/ Photography: 1412 Change 2015 -92%

Total Forensic Facial Sketches/ Forensic Art: 47

*The reductions represent progress towards full digitization from film

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Uniform Crime Reports

The BPD reports annual crime to the Federal Bureau of Investigation via the Uniform Crime Reports
(UCR). Crime statistics are compiled from UCR data and published annually by the FBI in the Crime
in the United States series. The Uniform Crime Reports program began in 1930, and since then has
become an important source of crime information for law enforcement, policymakers, scholars, and
the media.

UCR Part I Index Crimes 2015 2016 Change + / -

UCR Category 344 318 -7.6%
287 299 4.2%
MURDER
4,313 5,236 21.4%
RAPE
ROBBERY 4,598 5,157 12.2%
AGG. ASSAULT
7,757 7,375 -4.9%
BURGLARY 17,658 16,855 -4.5%
LARCENY 5,526 5,317 -3.8%
AUTO THEFT 285 261 - 8%
ARSON
40,483 40,557 0.2%
TOTAL
9,542 11,010 15.4%
VIOLENT CRIME
30,941 29,547 -4.5%
PROPERTY CRIME

18 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 1199

The Operations Bureau consists of the Department’s patrol and investigative divisions as well as the Community Collaboration Division.”

Patrol Division

The Patrol Division is the department’s largest core component. Its primary
mission includes the protection of life and property, prevention of crime,
arrest of offenders, preservation of public peace, and enforcement of laws
and ordinances over which the department has jurisdiction.

2016 Baltimore Police Department Calls for Service,
On-View Incidents and Police Reports Written

Baltimore Total Calls for Service / Police Reports

Police D istrict On-View Incidents Written

Central District 115,173 18,452
18,627
Southeastern District 107,072 16,603
24,919
Eastern District 97,984 17,739
15,987
Northeastern District 147,379 15,977
18,130
Northern District 103,130 17,958

Northwestern District 104,003 723

Western District 92,024 165,115

Southwestern District 109,333

Southern District 112,511

Citywide 3,744

Total 992,353

20 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

“The Criminal Investigation Division is a fine group of committed professionals, both sworn and civilian, who have taken on the
challenge of bringing justice to those who prey upon and victimize our citizens, through sound investigative techniques and
advocacy. We often times speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.“ CHIEF STANLEY BRANDFORD – CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION

Criminal Investigation Division - Notable Cases

District Detective Unit Missing Persons Unit

Investigators who work in the District Detective Unit conducted two In 2016, the Missing Persons Unit closed
highly complex and far-reaching robbery investigations in 2016. Early in 463 cases out of 464 cases handled,
the year, detectives identified a carjacking pattern known as the “Bump for a closure rate of 99%. The unit
& Run.” In an investigation that spanned the entire city, detectives linked also updated its standard operating
110 carjackings, street robberies, and stolen cars, and arrested 32 suspects procedures to focus its investigations
to bring the spree to an end. on those who are at a greater risk for
human trafficking.
In May, detectives identified the “Pontiac Pattern” which affected the
Northern, Eastern, and Northeastern Districts. The suspect, while Sex Offender Registry
operating a Pontiac Grand Am, robbed at gunpoint 10 women between
the ages of 19 and 25. The pattern ended as soon as detectives identified The Sex Offender Registry Unit (SORU) manages the largest Sex
and arrested the suspect. Offender Registry in Maryland, consisting of 1,294 offenders. In 2016,
SORU conducted 4,511 in-person registrations, 1,200 address verifications,
Citywide Robbery and obtained 67 arrest warrants for registry violations.

In late 2016, all robbery investigations to include carjackings, street robberies, Sex Offense Unit
commercial robberies, and bank robberies were centralized under the singular
command of the Citywide Robbery Unit. Along with the centralization, the In 2016, the Sex Offense Unit (SOU) secured, in partnership with the
Commissioner nearly quadrupled the number of robbery investigators in order Office of the State’s Attorney, a conviction and two 25-to-life sentences
to address the year’s increase in robberies. in a 30-year-old sexual assault case that was previously never charged.
Additionally, the unit arrested two serial rapists, who were believed to be
Pawn Shop Unit responsible for a total of 11 sexual assaults. The unit also solved a high
profile case in which two victims were abducted, raped, and robbed.
In July 2016, Pawn Shop detectives were investigating a stolen cellphone at  
Maria’s Market Place on S. Broadway when they determined the storeowner
had been fraudulently misusing W.I.C. vouchers for personal gain. As a result of
the investigation, the storeowner was federally indicted as part of a $14,000,000
fraud ring.

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Police Commissioner Kevin Davis established the Strategic Services Bureau in 2016 to coordinate the interrelated organizational priorities of evidence-based policy
development and training; employee discipline that is fair, equitable, timely, and transparent; and technological growth that promotes accountability and processes crime
data efficiently in support of patrol operations and criminal investigations. The bureau also works hand-in-hand with the Compliance, Accountability, and External Affairs
Division to achieve departmental compliance with the Department of Justice consent decree.

Commands within the Strategic Services Bureau include the Office of Professional Responsibility, including Internal Affairs; Office of Administrative Hearings; Best Practices
Unit; Professional Development and Training Academy; Special Operations; Communications; Recruitment & Background Investigations; Information Technology; Records
Management; and the Forensic Science and Evidence Management Division.

Office of Professional Responsibility Administrative Hearings

The mission of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is to For the first time since BPD has maintained the records, all employees in 2016 who
ensure all BPD personnel abide by the spirit and letter of the rules and elected to have an administrative hearing board to contest sustained allegations
regulations governing their conduct. It is expected that police officers will of misconduct and other departmental policy violations were found guilty at a
treat all individuals with respect, fairness, and dignity. hearing board of their peers. Fourteen sworn personnel exercised their right to a
hearing under the Maryland Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights, and all 14
OPR is divided into two sections, Internal Affairs and Administration. The were found guilty by a board comprised of two commanders holding the rank of
Internal Affairs Section (IAS) is comprised of the Ethics Unit, FBI Public captain or above and one sworn member equal to the rank of the accused member.
Corruption Task Force, Special Investigation Response Team (SIRT), As a result of these hearings and other disciplinary actions taken, the Commissioner
General Investigations, and Court Liaison Unit. It works closely with the terminated eight members of the department and seven others retired or resigned
Civilian Review Board (CRB) to ensure allegations of wrongdoing against in lieu of termination.
BPD members are investigated thoroughly, impartially, and transparently.
The Office of Professional Responsibility 2016 % + / -
Noteworthy accomplishments in 2016 include the creation of the 2015
Accelerated Disposition Program, to promote swift disciplinary action 13 -7%
against officers when the facts of an allegation are not in question; the Police Involved Shootings 14 651 -20%
Body Worn Camera Squad, to investigate allegations of misconduct Total Complaints Received 809 93 -36%
captured by an officer’s body worn camera; and the Early Intervention Excessive Force Complaints 146 181 -48%
System, to identify officers who may benefit from additional training, Taser Deployments 347
mentoring, and counseling.

CCaivseilsiaRnefRerervedie: w150Bo|aRredferrals to Mediation: 60|Early Interventions: 217

22 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

“De-escalation training, for those who are listening with open hearts and minds, is a stark reminder that words are very powerful
tools... they must be used with immense care, giving careful consideration to the consequences.”

OFFICER JOE ROSADO - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING ACADEMY

Professional Development & Training Academy Entry-Level Training Unit

The Professional Development and Training Academy (PDTA) has just over 60 sworn and The Entry-Level Training Unit trains all newly-
professional staff. It is comprised of three units, each playing an equal part to ensure all of the hired police recruits, providing approximately
department’s personnel are appropriately trained to provide the best service possible to the 1,200 hours of training and meeting hundreds of
citizens of Baltimore. objectives mandated by the MPTSC. For several
years, BPD has received 100% on MPTSC audits of
Continuing Education its entry-level training program.

The Continuing Education Unit provides all in-service training, medical training, leadership Firearms Range
training, and supervisor training. In 2016, in-service training was provided to over 2,200 sworn
officers, sergeants, and lieutenants of the BPD. While the Maryland Police Training and The Firearms Range conducts all firearms
Standards Commission (MPTSC) mandates 18 hours of in-service training, the BPD required qualifications, Taser certifications, and less-lethal
its personnel to attend 40 hours of training. Training courses in 2016 included CPR, chemical/ weapons training.
biological/radiological/nuclear/explosives (CBRNE) incidents, child abuse, sex offense
investigations, identity theft, victim/witness updates, and foot patrol techniques.

In 2017, BPD’s in-service training will increase to 80 hours, with an emphasis on scenario-
based training. There will be classes on procedural justice, constitutional law, characteristics
of an armed person, defensive tactics, firearms judgment/decision-making simulator, CBRNE
tactics, CPR, officer health and wellness, and crime scene management. Supervisors will receive
additional training in the areas of use of force investigations and reporting, report writing
and review, community engagement, the early intervention system, and equal employment
opportunity.

Most notably, 2017 in-service training will incorporate 2 days of classes on de-escalation.
Known as Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics (ICAT), the Police Executive
Research Forum (PERF) developed this block of training with the assistance of subject matter
experts from approximately 30 police agencies. The training focuses on critical decision
making, crisis recognition/response, communications/de-escalation, and tactics. It teaches
officers to recognize when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis and to slow situations
down, call for additional resources, and establish rapport with the person in crisis to obtain
voluntary compliance and use a minimal amount of force.

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 23

Leadership Training Citizens Police Academy

PDTA partners with the University of Maryland University College To support the BPD’s goals of greater transparency and improved citizen interaction,
to deliver “Leadership BPD,” a 10-month leadership development PDTA reinstituted the Citizens Police Academy in the fall of 2016. The program
program geared toward sergeants and lieutenants. The program’s allows citizens to participate in hands-on training including forensics, traffic
four phases focus on leadership principles, performance enforcement, criminal investigations, use of force decision making, defensive tactics,
management, strategic planning, and organizational problem patrol operations, and much more. In 2017, the program will increase from 10 weekly
solving. Students tour various city, state, and federal agencies to sessions to 12. The BPD is also seeking to develop a Youth Police Academy to engage
acquaint them with resources they can use in their supervisory adolescents ranging in age from 12 to 17.
and management positions to help residents solve an array of
neighborhood challenges and quality-of-life issues. For those who are unable to commit to the full Citizens Police Academy, or who just
want to learn about our use of force policy and test their skills and judgment on the
firearms simulator, BPD also hosts quarterly “Decision Making or Applications of
Force” training sessions.

24 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

“The Academey’s Community Engagement Unit endeavors to build enduring community partnerships, through increased
transparency, that affect meaningful progress toward maintaining a safe and enriching environment for all Baltimore residents.”

SGT. ROBERT CORSO - PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING ACADEMY

Youth Engagement

Project PNEUMA Police Youth Challenge/Outward Bound

BPD partners with “Project Pneuma” (an ancient In one of its most successful and long-standing
Greek word meaning “breath”) to teach young youth partnerships, BPD officers and the Baltimore
men about forgiveness, self-control, and discipline. Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School spend one
Led by Damion Cooper, Director of the Office of day each week with students from Baltimore City
Neighborhood Relations for the Baltimore City Public Schools. Participants share their perceptions
Council, the young men and police officers gather at of each other and then work together on various
the Baltimore Public Safety Training Facility twice a projects to build relationships, create trust, and
week for yoga, meditation, martial arts, and reading. change negative perceptions.
The young men learn positive communication
with the officers and the officers learn the value of
establishing relationships with Baltimore’s youth.

Youth and Police Dialogue Circles

Scheduled to begin in 2017, this program provides
a confidential and safe space for open discussion
between youth and police officers. During these
discussions, both youth and police officers have
the opportunity to share personal experiences,
hear new perspectives, exercise empathy for the
experiences of one another, and consider how
to make their interactions with each other more
positive. Throughout the program day, Community
Mediation facilitators integrate interactive activities
to help expand dialogue and explore points of
common ground.

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 25

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is the largest law enforcement leadership association in the world, with over 23,000 members in 100 countries.
Membership includes chiefs, commissioners, directors, sheriffs, commanders, and mid-ranking officers from federal, state, county, local, tribal, and all other types of law
enforcement agencies.

For the first time ever, a member of the Baltimore Police Department has been awarded an IACP Visiting Fellowship. As a visiting fellow, Deputy
Commissioner Darryl De Sousa is spending the year focusing on a variety of law enforcement and related criminal justice issues, including leadership,
strategic planning, policies, training, operational programs, research, and evaluation. As an IACP Fellow, Deputy Commissioner De Sousa rotates through
four programmatic teams: Advocacy, Outreach, Programs, and Education. More specifically, Deputy Commissioner De Sousa is primarily engaged with the
following programs:

„ One Mind Campaign – A campaign to ensure successful interactions „ Operation STOP IT – A collaboration between the IACP, Identity Theft
between police officers and persons affected by mental illness; Council, and Identity Theft Resource Center to arm law enforcement
agencies across the country with an additional resource to fight against
„ Policing Inside-Out: Building Trust Through Transformative Education identity theft in a timely manner, give victims the immediate help they
– A partnership between the IACP’s Institute for Community-Police need, and safeguard communities; and
Relations and Howard University;
„ Police Chief Magazine Guest Editor, April 2017 Ed. –“Rethinking Use of
„ National Consensus Policy on Use of Force; Force Policy: Why U.S. policing needs to revisit and revise its approach to
force policy and training.”
„ 3-Digit Initiative – An initiative to create a framework and collaborative
process using a multidisciplinary approach in order to appropriately „ Violence Against Police Task Force – A task force studying the effects of
diagnose mental illness calls for service at the onset (911) and dispatch an violence against police officers including what keeps them awake at night,
appropriately trained officer to respond; individual safety concerns, and the training, resources, and guidance their
agencies provide to ensure their safety.
„ Police/Youth Engagement - A data-driven approach to understanding the
core issues facing police/youth engagement and positive outcomes on
what these interactions should look like;

26 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

The Management Services Division is comprised of Fiscal Services, Human Resources, Property Management Services, the Equal Opportunity and Diversity Section, and
Employee Health and Wellness Section.

The primary functions of the Management Services Division include administrative oversight of the department’s most critical resources –its employees; its budget;
and its buildings, equipment, and other assets. Altogether, the purview of Management Services Division includes approximately 3,000 employees; a $475 million dollar
budget; 20 building facilities; an expansive fleet of 1,300 vehicles; and procuring, maintaining, and distributing the equipment essential to the department’s sworn and
civilian employees.

BPD Fiscal 2016 Budget Total.....................$475,431,941 Sworn Personnel Budgeted Actual Vacancy

Salaries.................................................................$254,720,601 Commissioner 1 1 0
Other Personnel Costs.....................................$125,094,191 Deputy Commissioner 3 3 0
Contractual Costs..............................................$37,882,133 Chief 5 4 1
Materials & Supplies........................................$9,867,435 Major 18 18 0
Equipment < $4999...........................................$2,240,259 Captain 15 15 0
Equipment > $4999...........................................$4,873,240 Lieutenant 112 112 0
Transfers..............................................................$14,990,663 Sergeant 350 350 0
Grants, Subsides Police Officer /
& Contributions.................................................$25,763,419 Police Agent 2346 2022 324

Employee Health and Wellness SWORN TOTAL 2850 2526 324

The Employee Health and Wellness Section is a newly formed unit created in July 2016 Civilian Personnel Budgeted Actual Vacancy
to offer a support system focused on the advancement of health and wellness for all Chief 6 6 0
BPD employees. With the procurement process underway for a vendor to manage the Director 14 14 0
department’s first-ever employee assistance program (EAP), it is anticipated the new EAP Civilian Personnel 475 383 92
will be online by the second quarter of 2017. Civilian Total 495 403 92

TOTAL PERSONNEL 3345 2930 416

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 27

CENTRAL SOUTHEASTERN EASTERN
DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT
Major Kevin Jones Major George Clinedinst Major Deron Garrity

NORTHEASTERN NORTHERN NORTHWESTERN
DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT
Major Milton Snead Major Richard Gibson Major LaTonya Lewis

WESTERN SOUTHWESTERN SOUTHERN
DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT
Major Sheree Briscoe Major Robert Jackson Major Steven Ward

28 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

CENTRAL DISTRICT NORTHWESTERN DISTRICT
500 East Baltimore St. 5271 Reisterstown Rd.
410-396-2411 410-396-2444
Major Kevin Jones Major LaTonya Lewis
Captain James Rhoden Captain Jason Yerg
WESTERN DISTRICT
SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT 1034 North Mount St.
5710 Eastern Ave. 410-396-2477
410-396-2422 Major Sheree Briscoe
Major George Clinedinst Captain John Webb
Captain Jarron Jackson SOUTHWESTERN DISTRICT
424 Font Hill Ave.
EASTERN DISTRICT 410-396-2488
1620 Edison Hwy. Major Robert Jackson
410-396-2433 Captain John Herzog
Major Deron Garrity SOUTHERN DISTRICT
Captain Dion Hatchett 10 Cherry Hill Rd.
410-396-2499
NORTHEASTERN DISTRICT Major Steven Ward
1900 Argonne Dr. Captain Robert Snead
410-396-2444
Major Milton Snead
Captain Jeffrey Shorter

NORTHERN DISTRICT
2201 W. Coldspring La.
410-396-2455
Major Richard Gibson
Captain Lloyd Wells

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 29

30 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

“Dedication brings change. I stand proud with my brothers and sisters of the BPD.” DETECTIVE DONNY MUIR – NWD OPERATIONS

Western District Renovation

With the eyes of the world on West Baltimore in April 2015, it was clear for
all to see that the Western District police station had fallen into disrepair
since it was built 60 years ago. In doing so, it failed to meet the basic needs
of the community and the men and women who serve it. Now, thanks to the
leadership of Scott Plank, head of War Horse LLC, and Andrew Bertamini,
regional president for Wells Fargo Bank, the stationhouse is getting a long-
overdue renovation.

With funding from the JS Plank and DM DiCarlo Family Foundation, Wells
Fargo, the Baltimore Ravens, Under Armour, the Warnock Foundation,
Maggie and Reed Cordish, Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., St. Agnes Hospital,
Comcast, and the Abell Foundation, renovation of the building began in 2016.
Once completed later this year, officers will have a professional workplace
with new locker rooms and bathrooms, conference rooms, and training space.
More importantly, according to Major Sheree Briscoe, Commander of the
Western District, “It will be a space where we can work collaboratively with
the community. There are defined spaces to foster better relationships and
non-traditional partnerships. It will allow everyone to feel more welcome and
involved in the process of how we keep each other safe.”

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 31

New Model Vehicles Baltimore Police Explorers Program

In its commitment to acquire high-quality equipment for the men The BPD Explorers Program has for over 30 years provided a career path in law
and women who patrol our streets and respond to emergencies enforcement and mentoring to Baltimore City youth ages 14 to 20. On July 11, 2016, a
under all-weather conditions, the BPD has selected the Ford team of 24 BPD Explorers and their advisors traveled to Flagstaff, Arizona to compete in
Police Interceptor as its primary law enforcement vehicle. While the biennial 2016 National Law Enforcement Exploring Conference at Northern Arizona
based on the standard Taurus sedan and Explorer Sport Utility University. Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies brought thousands of
frames and bodies, the Police Interceptor model has modified Explorers from across the United States to compete in over 12 categories ranging from
heavy-duty suspensions, braking systems, wheels, sub-frames, tactical, drills, and physical fitness.
alternators, front door tethers, and undercarriage deflector plates
– features designed to increase their service life and lower their The BPD Explorers participated in several of these categories and won 2nd place in
operating cost. basketball. The Explorers also visited the Grand Canyon and participated in exciting
activities such as rock climbing.
The fleet of new Interceptors is equipped with smaller, more fuel-
efficient and economical engines that deliver more horsepower
and torque than their larger, heavier predecessors. To enhance the
safety of our officers, the Interceptors are structurally designed to
provide extra protection in the event of rear-end or side-impact
crashes. The cabins are also ergonomically designed to reduce
driver fatigue and distraction.

32 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Law Enforcement Overdose Response Program

Reducing the time between opioid overdose symptoms and effective intervention is literally a matter of life
and death. The law enforcement overdose response program is designed to provide Baltimore police officers
with the knowledge and tools to reverse overdoses in the field.

In 2015, there were 393 confirmed overdose deaths in Baltimore City, up 23% from 2014. As a result, the
Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD), and Behavioral Health
Systems Baltimore (BHSB) collaborated with the BPD to implement an overdose response program. The
program provides Baltimore police officers with the knowledge and tools to reverse overdoses in the field
upon recognizing the signs of an opioid overdose. The most common administration method of Naloxone
for law enforcement is a liquid form of medication sprayed into a victim’s nostrils.

By the end of 2016, nearly 500 BPD officers had completed the overdose response program and are now
certified to administer Naloxone. Since the program’s inception, police officers have administered 102 doses
of Naloxone to suspected overdose victims, resulting in 100 lives saved.

Western District Police Officer Ryan Ernst has singularly saved 11 lives through the administration of Naloxone.

BPD Naloxone Usage

80ADMINISTERED TO SUSPECTED OVERDOSE VICTIMS IN 2016

99% LIVES SAVED

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 33

BPD Recruitment

The Baltimore Police Department’s Recruitment Law Enforcement Officer” forum in Washington,
Unit is committed to hiring highly qualified D.C., hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice’s
candidates to become police officer trainees who Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
reflect the diversity and values of Baltimore City and the Police Executive Research Foundation
and possess the mindset and skills required to (PERF). This forum focused on improving and
effectively engage with the community. By hiring streamlining hiring processes and policies with
these types of candidates, the BPD will continue the goal of recruiting and hiring the most qualified
to build upon its current foundation of effective, police officer trainees.
procedurally just community policing.
Moving forward in 2017, the Recruitment Unit will
In 2016, the Recruitment Unit focused on continue to reduce the length of time it takes to
evaluating and streamlining its process for hire a police officer trainee. Process efficiencies and
completing pre-hire background investigations best practices will be augmented with a paperless,
for police officer trainees. This focus resulted in internet-based case management system, which
a 22% increase in the number of police officer will replace the department’s outdated and
trainees hired as compared to 2015, and the largest inefficient paper-based background investigation
percentage of African Americans, Hispanics/ process. The department is also exploring ways to
Latinos, women, and residents of Baltimore City outsource the civil service exam for the position
hired in at least the past three years. of police officer trainee, which would afford a
much larger local and nationwide pool of potential
Throughout 2016, the Recruitment Unit candidates to conveniently complete one of the
collaborated with executives from other police very first steps of the hiring process.
departments in Maryland, the Maryland Police
Standards and Training Commission, and The The future of recruiting and hiring a diverse group
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public of highly-qualified candidates as police officer
Health regarding best practices for recruiting and trainees with the Baltimore Police Department has
hiring police officer trainees. Additionally, BPD never been brighter!
participated in the “Hiring for the 21st Century

34 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 35

The Special Operations & Development Division In 2016, the IMT managed over 70 incidents, facilitated the deployment of 140 million personnel
planned and coordinated hundreds of special including several high-profile trials of BPD officers hours to fill overtime and/or secondary sites.
events in 2016. SODD used the National Incident and their many related protests and demonstrations.
Management System (NIMS) as the primary method These events collectively amassed the deployment The Special Events Unit is responsible for planning,
to prepare for, respond to, and manage critical of over 8,600 police officers to ensure peaceable logistics, and personnel staffing for all special
incidents, special events, planned or unplanned assembly and lawful expression of citizens’ events inside the City of Baltimore, including
protests, and other complex incidents beyond the constitutional rights. These protests were managed the permitting process. On an annual basis, the
capacity of affected police districts. very effectively and arrests were made only on rare unit reviews over 800 permit applications for
occasions when protestors blocked Interstate I-83 functions that occur on city streets and city parks.
Since the civil unrest of 2015, the BPD has worked and trespassed, chained together, on hotel property. Its members coordinate the police department’s
tirelessly to provide all of its members with civil involvement in all parades, foot races, festivals,
disturbance training and to equip them with The Special Events Unit and Overtime Unit plan concerts, dignitary visits, and large sporting
quality civil disturbance gear. The BPD has also and manage the numerous events that occur in events. They also closely partner with over 20 city
created Mobile Field Force Teams to provide a Baltimore City throughout the year. These units not agencies such as the Mayor’s Office, Department of
rapid, organized response to civil disorder, crowd only plan the City’s large-scale events such as the Transportation, Department of General Services,
control, and other emergencies. These teams New Year’s Eve celebration, Baltimore Marathon, Department of Public Works, and Baltimore Office
receive ongoing specialized training to quickly de- and Preakness Stakes, they also arrange countless of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA) to ensure highly
escalate critical incidents. smaller events that require officers to work in an complex events are coordinated to run as smoothly
overtime capacity. as possible.
With the assistance of the Mayor’s
Office of Emergency Management The Overtime Unit manages, coordinates, and
(MOEM), the BPD has formed oversees the deployment of all sworn members who
an Incident Management Team work in an overtime and secondary employment
(IMT) to manage demonstrations capacity at approximately 30 fixed sites throughout
and other large-scale events involving our local, Baltimore City. This includes city-owned municipal
state, and federal partners. The IMT is comprised buildings, health clinics, and landfills. They also
of members throughout the department who come provide off-duty police at Camden Yards and M&T
together in key ICS roles to provide command Bank Stadium during Orioles and Ravens games.
and control and to manage operations, planning, In addition, they are tasked with providing off-
logistics, finance, and intelligence functions during duty officers for over 100 miscellaneous events that
a variety of incidents. occur each year. In 2016 alone, the Overtime Unit

36 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

In 2016, the Special Events Unit helped plan & manage the following events...

■  24 parades ■  65 foot races ■  80 MLB games ■  15 NFL games
■  4 President and First Lady of the United States visits ■  3 Vice President of the United States visits

■  52 festivals ■  141st Preakness Stakes ■  July 4th Celebration

■  New Year’s Eve Celebration ■  6-day “Fleet Week” event ■  Baltimore’s first “Light City” event
■  5-day “Star Spangled Spectacular” ■  The Run to Remember ■  The Torch Run for Special Olympics
■  The National Guard Association of the United States Conference ■  The American Legion Conference

■  12 Baltimore Office of the Performing Arts events ■  247 block/neighborhood parties

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 37

Police Commissioner Davis launched Community Comstat in
February 2016 to share the Department’s efforts of fostering trust,
legitimacy, and transparency with the City’s residents, business
community, neighborhood organizations, faith-based leaders, and
other partners in each district. Sessions are held in the Headquarters
Atrium, prior to the regularly scheduled commanders’ crime meeting
(known as Comstat), with one district participating each session.
During each session, district commanders introduce their Community
Relations Council President or other community leader, as well as a faith-
based representative, police chaplain and sworn personnel who demonstrate
the “Guardian Mindset”– a philosophy of community partnership and
service that seeks to de-escalate tensions and promote trust, legitimacy,
and transparency.
Community Comstat affords stakeholders the opportunity
to voice their concerns and to share their ideas for
improvement with the district commander in the
presence of the Police Commissioner and executive
team. This process of engagement breaks down
barriers, strengthens relationships, and creates an
environment of cooperative problem-solving and
mutual accountability between the BPD and its
many stakeholders.

38 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

“The citizens of Baltimore should know that there is a dedicated team of detectives, crime lab technicians and scientists,
prosecutors, and advocates who have an unwavering resolve to seek justice on your behalf. I am consistently amazed by their
talent and relentless dedication.” CAPTAIN STEVE HOHMAN – SPECIAL INVESTIGATION SECTION

Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore Collaborative for Violence Prevention

On February 22, 2016, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore Police Department, To date, the Collaborative has committed its efforts to the following
and Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City (SAO) announced the creation projects, making demonstrable progress on each:
of the Collaborative for Violence Prevention to promote, develop, and evaluate
interventions directed at reducing violence. ■ Creating a comprehensive city strategy to address illegal gun
possession and use, including a communications strategy with public
In partnership with Commissioner Davis, the Collaborative is led by Dr. Daniel input, state legislation, joint training between the BPD and SAO, and
Webster and his team of researchers at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of creation of the SAO’s Gun Violence Enforcement Division;
Public Health. Dr. Webster has worked for 23 years in Baltimore and across the
nation on issues of violence prevention and is a leading expert on strategies to ■ Increasing recruitment of police officer trainees by evaluating
reduce gun violence. Dr. Cassandra Crifasi serves as his principal research partner marketing strategies and assessing when applicants commonly fail to
and program evaluator on the Collaborative. advance in the hiring process;

■ Studying legislative options to dissuade youth from possessing replica
guns;

■ Developing and evaluating a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) pilot
program that pairs licensed clinicians with police officers to respond to
behavioral health-related 911 calls for service;

■ Increasing monetary rewards for crime tips;

■ Assessing curriculum quality and implementation outcomes of the
BPD’s community foot patrol program; and

■ Partnering with the Professional Development and Training Academy
in the areas of instructional design, curriculum review, instructor
training, and instructor evaluation.

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 39

Body Worn Camera Program HOURS OF VIDEO: 31,822 / TOTAL VIDEOS: 182,000 / GIGABYTES OF VIDEO: 63,387 66%CALLS FOR SERVICE

Body worn cameras (BWC) are quickly becoming standard- 15%SELF INITIATED
issue equipment for law enforcement officers throughout 10%ARREST
the United States. Not only do the cameras serve as useful 9%CAR STOPS
tools for recording evidence, they promote professionalism,
accountability, and transparency by documenting officers’
performance and interactions with the public.

The Baltimore Police Department began the rollout of its
BWC program on May 26, 2016, pursuant to an exhaustive
procurement process, including a 54-day pilot testing of
three different BWC models. The five-year contract for the
program, including equipment, storage, and maintenance, is
$11,600,000. Within the first two years, every sworn member
of the Department will be outfitted with a BWC, beginning
with personnel assigned to the nine patrol districts, as well
as specialized enforcement units. The Department selected
the Taser International, Taser Axon Body II based on officer
feedback, user interface, downloading and tagging of video
capability, as well as several other factors.

By the end of 2016, officers captured over 182,000 discrete
videos with over 31,822 hours of recording, equaling over
63,000 gigabytes of data. Included in these videos were
more than 95,000 calls for service, 15,300 car stops, and
15,900 arrests. As part of the discovery process, almost 4,900
cases were turned over to the Office of the State’s Attorney
for prosecution of various criminal offenses.

40 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Baltimore Police Museum

The Baltimore Police Department has a long and rich
history since its founding in 1784. While the traditions of the
Department reside in the collective memories of the men and
women who have proudly worn the uniform and badge, police
officers have also preserved the Department’s culture and
heritage by collecting memorabilia and sharing it with future
generations.

One of the ways to honor the men and women who have
served the Department is through a museum. To that end, the
Department has reached an agreement with Retired Detective
Kenny Driscoll, President of the Baltimore Police Historical
Society, to re-establish the Baltimore Police Museum, which has
been closed since the late 1990s. The new museum is housed on
the ground floor of the Bishop Robinson Police Administration
Building and its grand opening is scheduled for the spring of
2017. It will serve as an educational institution and a memorial.
Through its exhibitions, collections, and educational
programming, the museum will show how the Baltimore Police
Department, and the law enforcement profession in general,
have evolved over time to meet society’s changing needs and
expectations.

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 41

Dirt Bike Task Force

The BPD created the Dirt Bike Task Force in 2016 to Once the riders caught on to these tactics, they The dedication of the task force members has
address the widespread problem of illegal dirt bike donned masks to keep their identities secret. In resulted in a significant decrease in the total number
riding in the City of Baltimore. For years, police response, task force members changed their tactics of dirt bikes being illegally operated on the streets
and other public officials have received countless by using social media – Twitter, Facebook, and of Baltimore. In fact, detectives have noted several
911 calls and appeals from residents to eliminate Instagram – to identify riders. Investigators also days can now pass without seeing a single dirt
the long-standing practice where literally hundreds conducted surveillance to determine where illegal bike on the city’s streets. Local and national news
of illegal dirt bike and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) dirt bikes were being stored, and then served search stories have memorialized the efforts of the task
riders drive throughout the City’s streets and parks, and seizure warrants that yielded stolen vehicles, force, and the skills they have acquired have helped
weaving in and out of traffic, taunting motorists, and drugs, and firearms. Altogether in 2016, the task police departments across the nation tackle their
violating every traffic law imaginable. These riders force recovered 150 dirt bikes, seized eight firearms, own problems with illegal dirt bike riding. Locally,
– many of them juveniles – commonly operate served several search warrants, and obtained detectives from Carroll, Harford, and Baltimore
without a driver’s license, without registration or numerous arrest warrants. One rider was even Counties worked hand-in-hand with the Dirt Bike
insurance, and often on vehicles that are stolen or charged with murder by federal indictment after a Task Force to arrest suspects from Baltimore who
outfitted with stolen parts. It is not uncommon for DNA hit was obtained from two guns he dropped committed burglaries in the county to steal dirt
the riders to carry firearms and to be supported by while fleeing on a dirt bike. bikes.
“chase vehicles” that clear intersections and alert
riders to the presence of police.

Led by Sgt. Christopher Warren, the task force
developed investigative strategies to identify
riders, recover bikes, and arrest suspects while
maintaining the safety of all parties involved. Often
working undercover or with the assistance of the
department’s Aviation Unit, task force members
obtained video footage and photographs of the
riders and then identified them through various
police databases.

42 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Best Practices Unit

Prior to the creation of the Baltimore Police Department’s Best Practices Unit BPU updated these 26 policies and
(BPU) in January 2016, the BPD had approximately 750 policies on its books. distributed them in the COP Manual to
These written directives included obsolete topics such as how to make a long all sworn members of the department.
distance telephone call and how to obtain an I.Q. score. The BPU identified The Professional Development and
the need to update and improve many of these policies, and to create a system Training Academy also provided each
to ensure officers’ receipt of the policies and measure understanding of their officer with a three-hour training course
content. to communicate the importance of the
COP Manual and to ensure each of the
As the hub of policy and procedure creation and publication, the BPU 26 policies is fully understood.
distributes both new and revised BPD policies and training guidelines via
its newly-acquired, web-based policy management system, PowerDMS. Policy of the Period Training
PowerDMS allows users to upload, archive, search, and sign documents with The BPU is also responsible for
the click of a button. As a result, personnel accountability is at an all-time high. creating a “Policy of the Period”
PowerDMS can also be accessed in the field from a tablet or mobile device, training video and a corresponding
thereby raising the level of information available at an officer’s fingertips. With test for each of the 26 COP Manual
PowerDMS, BPU has published 150 new and amended policies and procedures policies. The training and test
and rescinded nearly 500 that were outdated or contradicted current law are delivered to each officer
enforcement and criminal justice system best practices. via PowerDMS, and every officer
must score a 100% before satisfactorily completing the
Core Operating Policies (COP) Manual required training. This training is distributed every two weeks,
Police officers are responsible for knowing and abiding by all published corresponding with the bi-weekly pay period.
departmental policies and procedures. However, because there are
approximately 225 unique policies, covering thousands of pages of material, Policies Posted Online
BPD created the Core Operating Policies (COP) Manual. The COP Manual To promote openness and transparency, the BPD began posting
consists of 26 BPD policies the Police Commissioner identified as the most all of its policies online in 2016. Citizens are encouraged to ask
relevant to officers’ daily duties. It includes policies on the use of force, questions and make comments about departmental policy via the
pedestrian and vehicle stops, search and seizure, persons in police custody, email address posted online.
internal affairs/discipline, handling firearms, and the department’s mission
and values.

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 43

Baltimore
Consortium
of Universities
& Colleges
Public Safety Initiative

Spearheaded by the leadership of Lee James,
Executive Director for Campus Safety and
Security at Johns Hopkins University, the
Baltimore Consortium of Universities and
Colleges - Public Safety Initiative, kicked off
in 2016. It is a project of the nine member
institutions founded on the principle of
sharing resources and information for
creating safer environments on and around
the city’s institutions of higher education.
The members are Johns Hopkins University,
Coppin State University, University of
Baltimore, Morgan State University,
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA),
Loyola University, Notre Dame of Maryland
University, University of Maryland Baltimore,
and Baltimore City Community College.

44 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

“I am passionate about good government and am driven to deliver exceptional public services by promoting fiscal responsibility
and transparency.” CHIEF CAROLINE STURGIS – MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIVISION

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 45

Bowl for Kids’ Sake BPD vs. Patterson Basketball

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake (BBBSGC) held The SED Community Collaboration Unit (CCU) held its 1st Annual BPD
their Bowl for Kids’ Sake event at the AMF Pikesville Lanes on March 18th vs. Patterson High School seniors and staff basketball game on March 23rd
and 19th. The BPD raised $1,470 to support BBBSGC in connecting kids with at the Virginia S. Baker Recreational Center. The event was held in honor
adult mentors and providing ongoing support for the children, children’s of Detective William Torbit and Officer Joseph Tracy, both of whom had
families, and volunteer mentors. a profoundly positive effect on the students and faculty at Patterson High
School.

46 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Polar Bear Plunge

On January 29th, 2016, the Baltimore Police Department participated in the 20th Annual Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge at

Sandy Point State Park. This event was the pinnacle of several months of fundraising and recruiting for the most successful BPD team ever!

Although it was a blustery day with wind gusts and snow flurries, the team was in high spirits. The BPD team consisted of professional staff, sworn

members, and a strong representation from Class 15-03. We made our presence known on the beach with BPD flags waving in the wind and our teammates

dressed proudly in BPD t-shirts.

The team joined our peers in law enforcement from across the state and jumped into the chilly 37-degree waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Our team of approximately
100 members raised a grand total of $23,251. These efforts won BPD the award for the highest- fundraising law enforcement team in the state. The money raised
benefits Special Olympics of Maryland and the thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities they serve.

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 47

Compliance, Accountability and External Affairs Division

Created in 2015 to proactively manage the officers and commanders impacted by the proposed the DOJ, training and policy development, and
Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division language to confirm that the requirements did early intervention systems, among other subjects.
investigation and an anticipated federal consent not unduly burden or hinder the department’s
decree, the BPD’s Compliance, Accountability operational plans and financial obligations. In Internal Audits/Assessments
and External Affairs Division (CAEAD), took on addition, the unit ensured that critical needs such
additional responsibilities in 2016. Comprised as training, officer wellness, and technology were The Internal Audits and Assessments Section (IAAS)
of three distinct units, CAEAD expanded to help appropriately addressed in the consent decree. conducts thorough audits of the department’s
establish key initiatives such as professional The fast-tracked negotiations took five months and administration of policy and operational
development, community and constitutional required constant engagement between the DOJ, procedures, following an approved audit plan.
policing programs, and thorough administrative BPD, City Hall, and community in order to develop The duties of IAAS assist in bringing transparency
reviews of use of force incidents. the best possible consent decree, one that would and accountability to the department’s operations
provide for increased resources and improved police- and management systems. IAAS also conducts
Reform and Programmatic Support community relations. quality control reviews of all Level II Uses of Force,
which are a part of sweeping changes made to the
The first half of 2016 was devoted to the Now that the negotiations are complete, the unit department’s use of force policy in 2016.
completion of the DOJ investigation. By the will once again pivot its focus, this time to selecting
time the investigation concluded, the Reform a monitoring team. The goal is to choose a team External Affairs
and Programmatic Support Unit had arranged that will effectively and efficiently guide BPD’s
and participated in over 100 meetings between compliance. The unit will also begin the process of The External Affairs Unit (EAU) coordinates a
BPD personnel and the Civil Rights Division, consent decree management, including the systematic citywide collaborative engagement strategy to
scheduled 38 ride-alongs with patrol officers and documentation of progress already underway. educate the citizens of Baltimore on police reform
other operations and investigative personnel, and efforts and the role of CAEAD. This unit also
facilitated the collection and review of hundreds In addition to working with the Civil Rights Division, oversees the coordination and administration of all
of documents. the unit supervised the remainder of the DOJ’s aspects of CAEAD community programs including,
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) but not limited to, the Women in Law Enforcement
Once the DOJ announced the results of its technical assistance program. This included funded Program, Youth Mentoring Program for Girls,
investigation, the unit shifted gears to begin the peer-to-peer exchanges with the Seattle, Los and Youth Advisory Board. In 2017, CAEAD will
process of editing and negotiating the consent Angeles, Arlington, Texas, and New Orleans Police also support the Transformation Zones and
decree. Charged with reviewing multiple drafts Departments to learn about their experiences with Collaborative Engagement Strategy, two key
of the document, the unit solicited input from initiatives Commissioner Davis and his executive
team have developed.

48 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t

Performance Review Board

Created in July 2016, the Performance Review Board
(PRB) serves as an advisory body, reviewing serious uses
of force and other notable incidents and investigations,
for the purpose of informing policy, training, equipment
acquisition, and resource allocation. It is similar to
after-action reviews conducted by professions such as
aviation, medicine, and transportation.

The PRB is comprised of a chairperson and seven
voting members, representative of different ranks and
assignments, who have been appointed by the Police
Commissioner. After the cases are presented to the
board, the voting members deliberate as to whether
or not the incident was within policy and if further
action is warranted. Within 14 days of a presentation
to the PRB, the chairperson submits a written report
to the Commissioner with the board’s findings and
recommendations.

The PRB reviewed 18 cases in 2016 and found the
members’ actions to be in accordance with policy in
12 of the cases and out-of-policy in six of them. The
six out-of-policy cases were referred to the Office of
Professional Responsibility for further investigation.
Additionally, the board made recommendations for
changes and additions to policy, practice, and training
in the majority of cases reviewed.

Baltimore PoliceDepartment 49

Jason Johnson Steven O’Dell Richard Worley Martin Bartness Jan Bryant
Osborne Robinson III George Clinedinst Pamela Davis
Rana Dellarocco
Melvin Russell Milton Corbett Carlton Epps
T.J. Smith Robert Jackson
Drew Vetter Jim Gillis
Kevin Jones Elaine Harder
Milton Snead Vernon Herron
Kendall Jaeger
Joe McCann

“Be the kind of leader that you would follow...”

50 The Police Commissioner’s 2 0 1 6 R e p o r t