As the murder rate climbs and arrests plummet in impoverished neighborhoods in Baltimore, Maryland, Baltimore Police Union leaders state that police are “afraid” to perform their law enforcement responsibilities, particularly in the West Baltimore neighborhood where Freddie Gray was arrested, and his spine and neck broken. Six Baltimore Police were arrested for charges ranging from murder to assault in response to police brutality in connection with his death.
After protests and subsequent arrests of those in the Baltimore Police indicted for criminal violence, there has been a reported “slow-down” of police activity in poor neighborhoods of West Baltimore. The AP interviewed Donnail Lee, who lives in the Gilmor Homes, the public housing complex where Gray, was arrested. Lee told the AP: “Before it was over-policing. Now there’s no police.” An additional 33 homicides have happened thus far this year, compared to last year statistics, including the murder of a 7-year old boy (Kester Browne III) and the shooting injury of another 9- year old boy (Eli Ebron). In the meantime, the Baltimore police have reduced arrests by 57 percent. Shootings involving children have increased 500 percent from last year.
On May 29, 2015, during the reported Baltimore police “slow-down,” a 7-year-old boy and his 31-year old mother were shot in the head and murdered.
The Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) police union has made numerous inciteful comments after protests regarding the death of Mr. Gray. As previously reported the FOP called protesters a “lynch mob,” and the FOP also sought to remove the prosecutor who brought charges against the six police officers in this case. The FOP sought to have web-based fund-raiser for the six arrested police officers, which was removed by GoFundMe for being in violation of its policies not to host fund-raising for those arrested for violent offenses. The FOP has publicly stated they are not concerned about the “public’s confidence” in the investigation into the police officers involved in Freddie Gray’s death.
Baltimore Police Lieutenant Gene Ryan Says that Police are “Afraid” (Source: Baltimore Sun)
Now the Baltimore police union is rationalizing an increase in murders to fear among police to do their jobs. FOP union president and Baltimore Police Lieutenant Gene Ryan stated: “The criminals are taking advantage of the situation in Baltimore since the unrest. Criminals feel empowered now. There is no respect. Police are under siege in every quarter. They are more afraid of going to jail for doing their jobs properly than they are of getting shot on duty.”
After the U.S. Department of Justice announced its plans for a civil rights investigation of the Baltimore Police Department, Baltimore Police Lieutenant Gene Ryan called for the DOJ to also investigate the Baltimore Mayor’s office.
On May 29, 2015, Newsweek reported that the federal “Justice Department will speak with Baltimore Police officers on Friday to make them more clearly aware of legal policies.”
As previously reported by R.E.A.L., former Baltimore Police Office Peter Moskos praised the slowdown efforts by Baltimore Police to avoid performing their job as police officers. On May 20, 2015, Peter Moskos stated that he viewed the Baltimore murder rate rise as “I attribute it almost exclusively to cops (for good reason) not doing any proactive police work.” Mr. Moskos now teaches students to become police at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
If we are to be responsible for equality and liberty, Americans must realize this problem is larger than Baltimore and more pandemic then individual extremists. Without an emphasis of respect for human rights and human dignity, our justice system itself will be corrupted by extremists who believe they are above the law, and who believe they have no responsibility to serve and protect all of our citizens.