Public safety in Baltimore County is my top priority. I know that our Police Department is continually strategizing on actions designed to restore order and prevent crime in this county.
The communities in our District work with each of the Police Precincts that protect us. I attribute this cooperation to the fact that crime in the Third District is the lowest in the County.
One of the strategies I am using is to investigate other Police Department’s actions which have worked to strengthen the Department and reduce crime in their community.
Several strategies which have been successful in other jurisdictions to reduce crime:
1. Our Police Department is experiencing many vacancies and retirements. The Department is rehiring retired Police officers, offering incentives for new officers who sign up, and providing much needed advanced trading for officers.
2. Over and over again it has statistically been shown that Departments that allow officers to take their vehicles home if they live in the jurisdiction, reduce crime. The presence of police cars in our neighborhoods will be a crime deterrent.
3. One of the most important initiatives is to offer incentives for our officers to live in the County. There are so many advantages to having police officers live in a County community. It has been shown to reduce crime. It promotes connections between the officer and neighborhood children and adults. Would be troublemakers are deterred from entering a community where an officer lives.
3. The County’s Community Watch Program helps keep neighborhoods safer. If there is interest, please contact my office and we will connect you with the program coordinators.
As citizens, we must vote for Judges who hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes. To reduce recidivism, we must continue medical care and job training and placing, when prisoners are released.
Our States Attorney must continue to hold perpetrators responsible. It is outrageous when we hear of violent criminals roaming the streets released from jail with no bail. In fact, many should not be eligible for bail but jailed until a trial is held.
It is imperative that the citizens of the County be supportive of our police officers and let them know that we have their back.