Bill would call for state of emergency to address Baltimore crime – WBAL TV Baltimore

ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE PROPOSAL. DAVID: ACCORDING TO THE BILLS SPONSOR, THIS LEGISLATION DOES NOT GIVE THE GOVERNOR THE AUTHORITY TO CALL IN THE NATIONAL GUARD TO FIGHT CRIME. IT EXPANDS THE GOVERNORS POWER TO DIRECT STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES TO ADDRESS CRIME. THE LEGISLATION GIVES THE GOVERNORS OFFICE THE POWER TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN BALTIMORE CITY IF THE NUMBER OF MURDERS REACHES THREE PER 100,000 IN A MONTH. IT WILL ALLOW STATE POLICE AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO PATROL THE STREETS OF BALTIMORE. >> THAT IS THE GOAL OF THIS. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. LETS STOP THE CRIME. DAVID: THE LEGISLATION ALSO AUTHORIZES THE USE OF ADDITIONAL PROSECUTORS TO HANDLE ALL OF THE STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT CASES. >> I DISAGREE WITH THE WAY THE CITY STATES ATTORNEY IS HANDLING HER CASES RIGHT NOW. I DONT THINK SHES PROSECUTING ENOUGH. THERE IS A LOT OF NOLLE PROSSE WE ARE HEARING. DAVID: THE GOVERNORS PRESS OFFICE ISSUED A STATEMENT STOPPING SHORT OF SUPPORTING THE MEASURE. "IT IS ENCOURAGING TO SEE THAT SOME LEGISLATORS ARE FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THE VIOLENT CRIME CRISIS IN BALTIMORE CITY, WHICH THE GOVERNOR HAS REPEATEDLY SAID IS THE MOST URGENT ISSUE FACING OUR STATE. THE GOVERNOR WILL CONSIDER ANY LEGISLATION THAT COMES TO HIS DESK." SENATE PRESIDENT BILL FERGUSON SAYS THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS TOLD HIM THEY WANT TO HELP FIX THE CITYS PROBLEM. >> THEY WANT TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTIION. WE WELCOME THEIR IDEAS. I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT BALANCE APPROACH TO INVEST IN COMMUNITIES TO CREATE REAL PEACE AND SAFETY. DAVID: THE PROPOSAL ALLOWS THE GOVERNORS OFFICE TO CALL IN STATE POLICE, MDTA POLICE, MTA POLICE, DGS POLICE AND OFFICERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO FIGHT CRIME. THIS WOULD ALSO FILL THE GAP OF A POLICE SHORTAGE IN THE CITY. MEANWHILE, BALTIMORE DELEGATES ARE PRESSING AHEAD WITH LEGISLATION TO ALLOW STATE POLICE TO PATROL DEEPER ONTO I-83. DELEGATE MAGGIE MCINTOSH TOLD A HOUSE COMMITTEE SHES OK WITH THE GOVERNORS PREFERENCE THAT PATROLS BE DONE BY MDTA POLICE. >> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO KEEP OUR POLICE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. DAVID: THE BILL IS BEING MET WITH SKEPTICISM BY CITY DEMOCRATS. AND BEING INTRODUCED SO LATE IN THE SESSION COULD REDUCE ITS CHANCES FOR PASSAGE. ANDRE: LATE THIS AFTERNOON, BALTIMORE CITY STATES ATTORNEY MARILYN MOSBY RELEASED A STATEMENT ABOUT THIS BILL, STATING INSTEAD OF BLAMING HER AND OTHER CITY LEADERS HE SHOULD LOOK IN THE MIRROR. SHE IS TALKING ABOUT THE GOVERNOR, ADDING HE SHOULD COME OUT OF THE ERA OF ZERO TOLERANCE

Bill would call for state of emergency to address Baltimore crime

Updated: 5:13 PM EST Mar 3, 2020

A bill in Annapolis would give Gov. Larry Hogan the authority to declare a state of emergency in Baltimore City based on the number of homicides.Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings, a Republican whose 7th District encompasses portions of Baltimore and Harford counties, sponsored the legislation. The bill does not give the governor the authority to call in the National Guard for crime-fighting, but it expands his power to direct state law enforcement resources to address crime.The legislation gives the governor's office the power to declare a state of emergency in Baltimore City if the number of homicides reaches three per 100,000 in a month. There were 348 homicides in Baltimore in 2019, which marked the fifth-consecutive year of more than 300 homicides in the city.The bill also allows the governor's office to call in Maryland State Police, Maryland Transportation Authority police, Maryland Transit Administration police, Department of General Services police and Natural Resources police to fight crime. This would also fill the gap of a police shortage in Baltimore City."That's the goal of this. Enough is enough. Let's stop the crime," Jennings said.The legislation also authorizes the use of additional prosecutors to handle all of the state law enforcement cases."I disagree with the way the city state's attorney is handling her cases right now. I don't think she's prosecuting enough. There is a lot of nolle prosse we are hearing," Jennings said.The Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office released a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying: "The governor and his allies have become increasingly desperate as they try and ram their old-school, tough-on-crime agenda through the Legislature. Governor Hogan has blamed me for crime. He has blamed the Senate judiciary chair, the mayor, the city delegation and Democratic leadership. But he ought to take a look in the mirror. As city representatives, we have all put forward sustainable solutions that would reduce crime in the city -- investments in education, public health programs, and more -- but the governor won't listen. Instead, he wants to usurp the authority of elected officials and bring his disproven and outdated crime strategy to Baltimore City. I urge him to come out of the era of zero tolerance policing, mandatory minimums, a failed war on drugs, and mass incarceration into an era of evidence-based solutions that promote public health, public safety, and will actually reduce crime. Stop pointing fingers and start leading."The governor's press office issued a statement stopping short of supporting the measure: "It is encouraging to see that some legislators are focused on addressing the violent crime crisis in Baltimore City, which the governor has repeatedly said is the most urgent issue facing our state. The governor will consider any legislation that comes to his desk."Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Democrat who represents Baltimore City's 46th District, said the Republican Caucus told him they want to help fix the city's problem."They want to be part of the solution. We welcome their ideas. I think we just have to figure out what is the right balance approach to invest in communities to create real peace and safety," Ferguson said.Baltimore City delegates are pressing ahead with legislation to allow state police to patrol deeper onto Interstate 83. Delegate Maggie McIntosh, a Democrat who represents Montgomery County's 43rd District, told a House committee she's OK with governor's preference that I-83 patrols be done by Maryland Transportation Authority police."The most important thing is to keep our police in the neighborhoods," McIntosh said.The bill is being met with skepticism by city Democrats, and it being introduced so late in the session reduces its chances for passage.

A bill in Annapolis would give Gov. Larry Hogan the authority to declare a state of emergency in Baltimore City based on the number of homicides.

Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings, a Republican whose 7th District encompasses portions of Baltimore and Harford counties, sponsored the legislation. The bill does not give the governor the authority to call in the National Guard for crime-fighting, but it expands his power to direct state law enforcement resources to address crime.

The legislation gives the governor's office the power to declare a state of emergency in Baltimore City if the number of homicides reaches three per 100,000 in a month. There were 348 homicides in Baltimore in 2019, which marked the fifth-consecutive year of more than 300 homicides in the city.

The bill also allows the governor's office to call in Maryland State Police, Maryland Transportation Authority police, Maryland Transit Administration police, Department of General Services police and Natural Resources police to fight crime. This would also fill the gap of a police shortage in Baltimore City.

"That's the goal of this. Enough is enough. Let's stop the crime," Jennings said.

The legislation also authorizes the use of additional prosecutors to handle all of the state law enforcement cases.

"I disagree with the way the city state's attorney is handling her cases right now. I don't think she's prosecuting enough. There is a lot of nolle prosse we are hearing," Jennings said.

The Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office released a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying: "The governor and his allies have become increasingly desperate as they try and ram their old-school, tough-on-crime agenda through the Legislature. Governor Hogan has blamed me for crime. He has blamed the Senate judiciary chair, the mayor, the city delegation and Democratic leadership. But he ought to take a look in the mirror. As city representatives, we have all put forward sustainable solutions that would reduce crime in the city -- investments in education, public health programs, and more -- but the governor won't listen. Instead, he wants to usurp the authority of elected officials and bring his disproven and outdated crime strategy to Baltimore City. I urge him to come out of the era of zero tolerance policing, mandatory minimums, a failed war on drugs, and mass incarceration into an era of evidence-based solutions that promote public health, public safety, and will actually reduce crime. Stop pointing fingers and start leading."

The governor's press office issued a statement stopping short of supporting the measure: "It is encouraging to see that some legislators are focused on addressing the violent crime crisis in Baltimore City, which the governor has repeatedly said is the most urgent issue facing our state. The governor will consider any legislation that comes to his desk."

Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Democrat who represents Baltimore City's 46th District, said the Republican Caucus told him they want to help fix the city's problem.

"They want to be part of the solution. We welcome their ideas. I think we just have to figure out what is the right balance approach to invest in communities to create real peace and safety," Ferguson said.

Baltimore City delegates are pressing ahead with legislation to allow state police to patrol deeper onto Interstate 83. Delegate Maggie McIntosh, a Democrat who represents Montgomery County's 43rd District, told a House committee she's OK with governor's preference that I-83 patrols be done by Maryland Transportation Authority police.

"The most important thing is to keep our police in the neighborhoods," McIntosh said.

The bill is being met with skepticism by city Democrats, and it being introduced so late in the session reduces its chances for passage.