FM Talk 105.7 Baltimore - The Ed Norris Crime Plan

The Ed Norris Crime Plan

WHFS’ ED NORRIS RELEASES HIS PLAN TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE CRIME IN BALTIMORE
PRESS CONFERENCE June 19, 2007-12 Noon

The Plan to Drastically Reduce Crime in Baltimore
By: Ed Norris

In light of the relentless violence we have experienced in 2007 and after the rising violent crime rates of the last several years, I feel compelled to put forward a plan. Several candidates running for public office in addition to a myriad of community and religious organizations have put forth their ideas for crime reduction but none has authored a strategic plan; each has merely latched onto ideas that sounds good but will do nothing to stanch the blood flow in our streets.

     No one to date has even attempted a comprehensive strategic plan while Baltimoreans are being murdered at a rate almost seven times that of New York City.   The lack of leadership has been stunning in light of all that is taking place.   My intent is not to embarrass but to help stem the violent crime wave that is literally killing our city.

       I respectfully recommend the following for everyone's consideration:

We need a complete independent crime audit with crime stats delivered to the media weekly.

1.    We need a complete crime audit.
This is not to shame a police department that has admitted in television interviews that it routinely does not take crime reports from reluctant victims but to create a radar system whereby we will attack crime as it occurs. Without accurate reporting all else is futile because if we were to deploy a team of officers to police an area to combat a crime spike we would fail if in fact the adjacent post had twice the violence but we were unaware because the majority went unreported. If the leadership is unwilling to do a real audit of crime reporting for political reasons then we need go no further as we would be flying blind.

2.    Raise BPD salaries to be in line with surrounding counties. Take a page from the Marines’ playbook with “tough guy recruiting”.
Recruitment is a noble endeavor but worthless if we are merely asking potential employees if they would like a "job" with the BPD if UPS isn't hiring right now. Policing is a calling, a vocation that needs to attract those with an above average sense of altruism as well as the physical ability and true courage to fulfill the mission. Money needs to be allocated to bring the BPD salaries in line with surrounding counties and then you tap into what makes people join the Marine Corps instead of other military branches and you will fill your ranks with warriors not employees.

3.    Restore power to the district commanders and forget about drug crimes. Focusing on drug crimes when people are being slaughtered in the streets is a waste of limited police resources.
Disband the current organized crime structure and give the majority back to District Commanders. This country will never win the war on drugs and to waste vast resources on a futile battle is a poor use of resources. District commanders should be given the personnel to attack day to day "corner activity" and a cadre of seasoned detectives should be kept at headquarters to build major cases...real major cases. Filling the War Memorial from floor to ceiling with confiscated drugs is meaningless if people are still being slaughtered at a rate many times the national average. The most talented core of officers should be moved to fugitive enforcement.

4.    The Restless Sleep… Restore power and personnel to the Warrant Task Force. Fugitives will never be able to rest knowing that tonight could be the night they go to jail for good.
Determine who is wanted for violent crimes in Baltimore and then assemble the best the BPD has within its ranks to hunt them down. Putting random foot patrols out to deter a possible crime is wasteful. Directing your most talented investigators to locate our most violent, predatory criminals and lock them up where they sleep is a much better use of your limited resources. This above all is your key to crime reduction. Every thug in the city should go to bed worrying if it is his night to hear the knock on the door that will send him to prison for decades. This unit was the jewel of the BPD during the 3 years we led the US in crime decline. Since then the number of officers has dropped and the focus has not been the same.

5.     If you have a gun and a felony record you will do the time.
Strict enforcement of “Project Exile” in one hundred percent of applicable cases. That means 5-15 years mandatory sentence.
Insist the federal prosecutor's office take EVERY gun case that fits their guidelines. Cherry picking one in ten does nothing to deter a population that is already engaged in risky behavior. Someone willing to carry a gun to further a crime will still take the chance if there is a ninety percent chance that they will get the usual softball treatment from a state prosecution. However, if they know that there is a ONE HUNDRED PERCENT chance that they will do five to fifteen years in a federal penitentiary for simply possessing a firearm with a prior felony conviction behavior will change.

6.    Don’t let money be the barrier to solving crime. Find funds to completely clear out the DNA evidence backlog. Hundreds of bags of DNA evidence are sitting on shelves waiting for funds.
Completely clear out the DNA evidence backlog. There are bags of evidence sitting on shelves that contain the DNA of predatory criminals. During my tenure as Police Commissioner we tested a sampling of cases in partnership with a television newsmagazine (20/20) and solved thirteen previously unsolved cases as well as freed an innocent man from prison. The only barrier to this is money. Funds need to be raised to completely test all unsolved rapes and murders in Baltimore to not only bring closure to the victim's and their families but incarcerate the murderers and rapists that walk among us simply because their cases were never submitted for analysis.

7.    Completely change the leadership in the BPD. The current leadership is too invested in maintaining that status quo and the rank and file do not feel supported.
Finally, we need to completely change the leadership in the BPD. The current command staff is too obviously invested in maintaining the status quo. The crime statistics that have been obviously manipulated over the last few years will never be corrected so that we can move forward if those that did the manipulating remain in power. The rank and file does not feel supported and this can be cancerous to a police agency. If a police officer knows that if they race to a call for help that they will be protected from political opportunists even if they make a mistake they will literally risk their life for the city. The same officer will be the third car on the scene if the leadership consistently "throws them under the bus". Ask any cop you know, they will tell you the truth.

The original plan I wrote in 2000 (click here for the plan) was about an inch thick and very comprehensive. The above bullet points were meant to suggest a quick solution to today's crisis. A more complete plan would obviously be in order to address all issues that are critical to a successful police department; such as community relations, internal affairs issues and transparency in dealing with the media to name just a few. However if the above mentioned items were implemented today the current wave of violence would be reversed immediately. This I guarantee.