Maryland ranks high in police officer deaths
Five Maryland police officers died in the line of duty this year, the seventh highest number in the nation, and four of those were killed in car crashes.
The Baltimore Sun's transportation reporter, Michael Dresser, found that police fatalities across the country jumped 37 percent after two years of declines.
At left is the accident scene in October in which Officer Thomas Portz Jr. was killed when his cruiser slammed into the back of the a fire truck on U.S. 40 in West Baltimore. The photo was taken by The Sun's Barbara Haddock Taylor.
Dresser wrote:
Police fatalities on the roads have long been a topic of concern in Maryland, where 25 officers have been killed since 2000 in vehicle crashes — nine more than have been killed by gunshots.
Former Baltimore Police Commissioner Edward T. Norris, who wrestled with the issue of police driving when he headed the city force, said the high level of traffic-related deaths has a lot to do with "the driving habits of young police officers."
His prescription: more intensive training, refresher course and frequent re-qualification requirements. "They should take it at least as seriously as firearms training," he said.
Back in 1998, a police van and a cruiser speeding to a officer's cry for help collided at a city intersection, killing one of the officers. Even then, accidents had concerned city police, and the numbers dropped from more than 500 in 1995 to just over 250 in 1998.
High-speed pursuits are generally forbidden in Baltimore City and cruisers responding to emergencies with lights and sirens activated are required to stop at every stop sign and red light to ensure the intersection is clear before proceeding.
Categories: Confronting crime, Police shootings
