Dear Madame Mayor;
Last night I called the police after witnessing a serious crime, and I was deliberately ignored!
I am writing this letter to make you aware of a problem that you have openly stated your concerns about: the Baltimore Police Department, accurate reporting of crime, and improved relations between the citizens of Baltimore and the police.
After sitting through numerous conferences, events, forums and meetings and listening to yourself, Police Commissioner Bealefeld, City Council President Jack Young and others speak of making improvements, I must say, as a citizen, I’m largely unable to see any difference at the street level where the rubber meets the road.
SHOTS FIRED, POLICE IGNORE WITNESS
Early this morning I was awakened by a very loud commotion involving a large group of young men, standing around, arguing loudly, on the verge of getting into a physical altercation. Within moments of my looking out the window, a young man pulled out a pistol, fired several shots in the air, and the group began to disperse.
After reporting the incident via 911, I was pleased to see what appeared to be a speedy response. What bothered me though was when I made numerous attempts to get the attention of responding officers, but was flatly ignored by all.
At one point, one nearly struck me with his patrol car as I tried to flag him down. Note, he was moving at an extremely low speed (perhaps five miles per hour), with flashing lights on as he went by with his windows open. Besides my frantic arm waving, I also attempted to verbally get his attention, this was all to no avail.
Standing inches away from his open drivers side window, it would be IMPOSSIBLE for him not to have seen me. Being the only one standing there at the time, it’s not as if I blended in.
ROUTINE UNDER REPORTING
When witnesses are ignored it makes it easy to avoid paperwork and not file a report. When reports are not filed, it makes it easy to show statistically that crime is down. When the city, and media report crime is down, and the perception by the majority of citizens is that is pure nonsense, this is the reason why.
If this has happened to me on numerous occasions, one must wonder just how widespread is it? It’s not just rape victims.
Because of my many attempts in the past of going through internal affairs, speaking to district supervisors, and even the commissioner; concerning officers failing to live up to their duties of protecting and serving the public. I feel there is no other choice but to turn to you. Will you also ignore me and continue to allow the status quo to continue?
With all of the robberies, assaults, stabbings, shootings, and murders that have occurred recently in this north Baltimore neighborhood, I am truly disturbed by police ignoring a citizen complainant who was also an eye witness. Reminds me of when I was a witness to murder and was ignored and offered no protection, despite the shooter being aware that I knew who he was.
VICTIMS TREATED LIKE SUSPECTS
Too many times in the past, Baltimore Police have made me the subject of investigation in response to my complaints, rather than focus and place efforts on actually following up on the reported criminal activity. This is shameful.
Madame Mayor, I should also point out, due to past experience, I know that my complaint leaves me wide open to retribution, revenge and ridicule by those who would rather keep the truth in the dark.
While I often feel I stand alone in a place resembling a war zone in sight, sound and atmosphere, the truth must be told. This is a large part of the reason Baltimore city continues to lose it’s tax base. People are moving away. Even the cops don’t want to live here, and 80% to 90% don’t! Not my numbers, but those of Commissioner Bealefeld himself. What message does this send?
In conclusion, I must again express my extreme displeasure in what has been a lengthy pattern of systematic avoidance, ignoring and lack of action to address criminal activity on the part of Baltimore Police that I have PERSONALLY brought to their attention.
When will we see a true and genuine effort to fully reform the standards, practices behaviors and procedures of this department?
Sincerely disgusted and discouraged;
A.F. James MacArthur, Ph.A.L.
P.S. In the interest of being somewhat brief, I won’t even go into the numerous incidents of police officers currently involved in the court system as criminal defendants, accused of all sorts of violations, assaults and out right criminal activity including and up to MURDER against the people of Baltimore. The time for change is NOW! TOMORROW WILL BE TOO LATE!
P.P.S A more fully detailed account of the above incident, and numerous others will soon be published; chronicling how the city and it's police department has largely abandoned and systematically ignored all hope of improving this area.
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