All quiet
I knew going in to this trip that any comparisons between Baltimore and London, and the UK as a whole, would have to be kept in proper context. They are very different places with very different challenges and very different ways of dealing with them.
But the lack of action on my ridealongs has been quite a bit ridiculous, especially since the press and the officers I rode around with in Manchester and South London's Brixton insist that these are tough streets. Indeed, during roll call, when officers are apprised of recent events in the neighborhood, they outlined some gritty stuff taking place. However, after 14 hours on the streets, here's what I witnessed firsthand:
Manchester (dubbed "Gunchester"):
-A car full of teens who had just finished smoking marijuana
-A kid whose bike furious bike riding raised suspicions but turned out to be nothing
Brixton (referred to as London's drug and gun capital):
-A man suspected of drunk driving (his blood alcohol level was below the legal limit)
-A fruitless search by car for a man with a vegetable knife
-A check on a home believed to be burglarized (it was not)
Of course, 14 hours on the street is hardly enough time to get a full view of any area, just like the action-packed five hours experienced by Independent journalist Mark Hughes in West Baltimore wasn't indicative of every night in the city. My challenge is determining just what constitutes a tough area here and putting that in the proper context. Crime, and particularly perception of crime, is all relative, but then again, many of the locals who have e-mailed me told me that most of the crime here was completely blown out of proportion. I personally haven't witnessed much to tell them otherwise.
Comments
To be honest, it's not too bad over here. The main problem is knife crime in London, gang on gang, but in comparison, it's not in the same murder league as the US...thanks to stringent gun laws I guess. Averaging 170 murders a year for a city of 8 million, compared to Baltimores 250 plus for 650,000 people is quite a leap. But then, New York has only 500, with an 8 million pop.
Posted by: JamesH | November 8, 2009 2:30 PM
Baltimore's biggest problem will continue to be the easy access to whatever type of gun the criminal wants. The police are way behind the eight ball in Baltimore. Their hands are tied in some aspects to truly and effectively do their jobs. Baltimore will be a crime mecca for a long time to come. Compairing Manchester to Baltimore is like compairing Bagdad to Mayberry.
Posted by: Steve | November 9, 2009 8:05 AM
To be honest, it's not too bad over here.
Posted by: Steve | November 9, 2009 8:05
I guess you don't live in or around the Baltimore City do you? Shootings, Homicides, Aggravated assaults, B&E, Rapes, cars getting broken into EVERYDAY.
Your right it's not so bad, it's just the 1st or 2nd most violent city in the country every year.
Posted by: jbalt | November 9, 2009 9:07 AM
jbalt, he was talking about London
Posted by: jgold | November 9, 2009 9:20 AM
@Jbalt
I'm pretty sure that JamesH was referring to London as "here" not Baltimore.
Posted by: Cullen | November 9, 2009 9:22 AM
As an American living in Manchester I find this topic very entertaining. The Greater Manchester police recently released a list of the "top 10" most wanted criminals for this area, I was looking through it at their crimes and it seemed like half of them were "suspect is wanted on account of conspiracy to commit robbery" or some other such relatively tame offences.
When I told someone I was living right on the edge between the fabled Moss Side area of Manchester, they immediately replied “Oh, you know that Moss Side has like the biggest “gun culture” (whatever that even means) in the UK?” I tried to explain that the entirety of the USA is “gun culture”, but they were dismissive.
Posted by: Scott | November 9, 2009 9:27 AM
Why are you surprised. It's London, not Mobtown, AKA Baltimore.
As a Baltimore resident, I know London is heaven compared to here.
Think about it.
How long would a Mobtown cop last without a gun?
'nuff said.
Posted by: 3-Generation Baltimore Res | November 9, 2009 9:55 AM
I have visited London and other European cities.
Talking Points:
1. The wealthy live downtown.
2. Diversity is not so much an issue. In fact the Black guys are the hippest guys because of rariety and they dress better than everyone else.
3. Again, the further you live from th central city you are considered low class.
4. No guns allowed (period).
5. Interconnectedness.
6. They don't have the poor planning issues... They built rail, have green space.
7. Declining population.
8. Manners and dignity. While drunk they don't commit violent crimes (few), but will rise up against machine (Media & Politics).
9. History
10. Urban planning
11. More educated public in Urban cores
12. On and on. They don't compare.
This whole thing only make Baltimore look bad.
Posted by: Dunn | November 9, 2009 12:11 PM
Yup, was talking about London. May have been a bit drunk, so please excuse the rambling comment. I knew what I meant...I think
Posted by: JamesH | November 9, 2009 3:31 PM
Dunn- I'd take issue with a few points you make, some of which no doubt pertain to some European cities, but far from all of them.
'Black guys are the hippest because of rarity'. That's a totally ridiculous comment. You seem to imply that Britain's some kind of ethnic monoculture in which the sight of a black person evokes coos of excitement. You evidently haven't been to london. Its true that we don't have the same race relation problems as the US, but the reasons for that are historical. London is a multicultural city, there are lots of black people, and many other ethnic groups. There's lots of diversity, some harmony, and some racism.
Declining population? I'd like to see you back that up with some figures, in relation to London at least. The British population is rising faster than at any point in its history.
"While drunk they don't commit violent crimes." Is there something in the alcohol in London that miraculously makes drunk people lawabiding? I'm a reporter and spend a lot of time sitting in court. Everything is driving offences and assault, and most of those assaults have some alcohol element to them. I know our media hype up crime here, but to say that alcohol-driven violence doesn't happen in Britain is an absurdly inaccurate generalisation.
Posted by: ALEXM | November 10, 2009 7:49 PM
Does anyone know if they offer a Officer-Exchange type of program. I think it would be educational to see what their beat officers have to contend with versus what we in Baltimore City have to. At the very least a better comparison of the so called "lack of action" can be compared to our experiences here. Just curious.
Posted by: Robert | November 11, 2009 9:42 AM
I could show you some of the nice'splaces in Baltimore which is some of the best and safest places to live in the western world and the sae with London.
Then I could go to some of the most crime ridden place sin baltimore and show you some real rough tough gang ridden streets of London and other UK citie's such as Birmingham, but you just seem to come across as a journalist that thinks '''where I live is rough, no where else and I wont listen I don't care''' well mate the UK has some tough gheto's so get used to it. Some in London UK and some in Birmingham UK. Face fact's mat there's ome tough citit'es and urban area's in the UK, it's not all Ameica
Youtube and google Birmingham gang film 1 day Handsworth Birmingham. It's a film which has been compared and said to be the British Boyz N The Hood. It is filmed in Handsworth in Birmingham in the UK. And it is based on 2 real gangs in Birmingham called Burger Bar Boyz and Johnson Crew who are a black gangs who have controlled Birmingham's gang underworld and drug trades for year's, theyre most known for shooting dead gunning down 2 black girls on new years eve in 2003 in the Aston area of Birmingham in a drive by shooting. Google it all. Then you'll see the UK aint all cups of tea mate. 2009
Burger Bar Boyz,
Johnson Crew,
Raleigh Close Crew,
Champagne Crew
B6 SLASH, (this is the gang that humilated the game big time if you remember).
B21 Bang Bang,
B21 Blood Brothers,
Handsworth.
Google these gangs theyre the most known and notorious gangs in Birmingham UK.
Ah, someone who thinks death and despair is a competitive sport
Posted by: Djid | November 15, 2009 2:42 PM