City police union claims mayor using police shooting for "political gain"
Amid calls from the public for an independent investigation, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said this week that there would be an independent review of Sunday's shooting that left a veteran officer and a 22-year-old man dead. The city police union is now claiming that her announcement is an attempt to use the tragedy for political gain.
Through a public relations firm, the union sent out this statement:
"Should the current investigation determine that an independent review is warranted, the FOP would fully support such a review at that time. We, too, want a thorough investigation of this incident to reveal all the facts of that night's events. However, at this point, this action seems premature. Mayor Rawlings-Blake should have confidence in her Police Commissioner and the Baltimore City Police Department and give them a chance to conduct an exhaustive investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding this tragedy. The Baltimore City Police Department has one of the premier homicide units in the nation and a system of checks and balances is already in place, as the independent Baltimore City State's Attorney investigates every police-involved shooting in Baltimore. The Baltimore City Police Department wants to work closely with the State’s Attorney’s Office to get to the bottom of this occurrence. For Mayor Rawlings-Blake to utilize this tragic incident for political gain is a tragedy in itself."
A spokesman for Rawlings-Blake said he would not have a response to the statement.
Tensions between City Hall and the city's public safety unions have been rising for months. A week ago, the police and fire unions held a press conference outside City Hall denouncing pay cuts and saying Rawlings-Blake wants to take credit for crime reductions while not compensating officers for their work. They also paid for billboards downtown last year that took shots at city officials.
Categories: City Hall, Police shootings
Comments
The BPD has a public relations firm? Since when? Who?
I know we make our share of typos here, but the post says the union has a public relations firm, not the BPD. They've been using the Barb Clapp Marketing firm since early 2010. -JF
Posted by: mb | January 13, 2011 8:51 PM
And the FOP isn't making hay by latching onto the Mayor's announcement? Give me a friggin' break - they'll take ANYTHING they can for political gain. Hacks.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 14, 2011 5:04 AM
What the police union is suggesting is that we should let the Baltimore City Police Department investigate the Baltimore City Police Department.
Since when does a "premiere homicide unit in the nation" have a 49% closure rate. the police union is delusional.
Posted by: Cham | January 14, 2011 12:06 PM
If the clearance rate is at 49%, you can place some of the blame on citizens not cooperating with police as witnesses. The Police can't do it all without the citizens doing thier part as witnesses.
Posted by: Bill | January 15, 2011 3:23 PM
I just love how this editor censures comments. My latest comments which have not appeared since I wrote them days ago, probably will not. It seems any criticism of the union or the police will not be heard on this forum. I stand by my previous comments and commend the mayor for wanting an outside investigation by an impartial agency. No agency can investigate itself without some bias, least of all BPD. Openness should be the goal, not sweeping things under the carpet. If one has nothing to hide, then let others take a look.
Must be a problem with your browser. I see no record of us receiving your initial comment. -JF
Posted by: Brent Barbour | January 16, 2011 12:48 PM
I personally have dealth with bpd on both sides of the fence as a "suspect" and as a "complantant" and the sheer idea that a full and fair investigation conducted by the bpd is laughable at best. its time we started to hold police officers to a higher standard of conduct. if you do something to a police officer your "crime" in more aggregious but when there is misconduct by police officers its easily dismissed. now is the time for the truth & we dont always trust the bpd.
Posted by: BOB | January 24, 2011 12:44 PM