The Baltimore Police Department, or BPD, provides police services to the city of Baltimore, Maryland and was officially established by the Maryland Legislature on March 16, 1845. It is organized into ten districts, nine based on geographical areas and the Public Housing Section, and is responsible for policing 79 square miles of land and 13 square miles of waterways. The Baltimore County Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for Baltimore County, Maryland. ... Image File history File links Bpdpatch. ... Baltimore redirects here. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N  - Longitude 75° 03′ W to 79° 29... The Maryland State House in downtown Annapolis. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... “Miles” redirects here. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ...

History

The first attempt to establish a police department in Baltimore occurred in 1784, nearly 60 years after the founding of the original town, when a guard force of constables were authorized to enforce town laws and arrest those in violation. In 1845 the current Baltimore Police Department was founded by the state legislature “to provide for a better security for life and property in the City of Baltimore". In 1861, during the U.S. Civil War, the police department was taken over by the federal government and run by the U.S. Military until it was turned back over to the legislature in 1862. A year (from Old English gÄ“r) is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. ... For the painter, see John Constable. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A legislature is a type of representative deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... This article describes the government of the United States. ... The Military of the United States, also known as the United States Armed Forces, is structured into five branches consisting of the: United States Army United States Marine Corps United States Navy United States Air Force United States Coast Guard Reserves United States National Guard United States Army Reserve United...

BPD has evolved its crime fighting technology and techniques over the years beginning with the introduction of call boxes in 1855. Other major technological upgrades include the introduction of the Bertillion system in 1896, police radio communications in 1933, a police laboratory in 1950, computerized booking procedures and 911 emergency systems in 1985, the first ever 311 non emergency system and CCTV cameras (like those in the United Kingdom) in 1996, and the CitiStat system in 2000. A police box is a telephone kiosk or callbox for use by members of the police. ... Alphonse Bertillon (April 23, 1853—February 13, 1914) was a French law enforcement officer and biometrics researcher, who created anthropometry, an identification system based on physical measurements. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see 911 (disambiguation). ... The non-emergency telephone number 3-1-1 is a special N-1-1 telephone number in many communities in Canada and the United States that provides quick, easy-to-remember access to non-emergency municipal services or a Citizen Service Center. ... Surveillance cameras. ... CompStat - or COMPSTAT - (short for COMPuter STATistics or COMParative STATistics) is the name given to the New York City Police Departments accountability process. ...

As of a 2000 survey published by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2003, BPD is the 8th largest municipal police department in the United States with a total of 3,034 police officers. Comparatively as of the 2000 U.S. census Baltimore ranked as the 17th largest city in the United States with a population of 651,154. Sampling is that part of statistical practice concerned with the selection of individual observations intended to yield some knowledge about a population of concern, especially for the purposes of statistical inference. ... The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C. “Justice Department” redirects here. ... A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly referring to a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. ... A police officer is a warranted employee of a police service. ... Image:1870 census Lindauer Weber 01. ...

The first BPD officer to die in the line of duty occurred when Sergeant William Jourdan was shot and killed by an unknown gunman during the first city council elections on October 14 1857. Night Watchman George Workner was the first law enforcement officer to be killed in the city when he was stabbed during an escape attempt by nine inmates in the Baltimore Jail on March 14 1808, but his death predates the founding of the department. As of 2006 there have been 118 police officers killed in the line of duty, which is by far the largest total in Maryland. The next largest total belongs to the Maryland State Police, with 39 troopers killed in the line of duty as of 2005. It has been suggested that Last Call Poker be merged into this article or section. ... Mayor : Martin Joseph OMalley (D) City Council : District 1 : James B. Kraft (D) District 2 : Nicholas DAdamo II (D) District 3 : Robert Curran (D) District 4 : Kenneth N. Harris I (D) District 5 : Rochelle Spector (D) District 6 : Stephanie Rawlings Blake (D) District 7 : Belinda Conaway (D) District... This article is about the political process. ... is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the institution. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A police officer is a warranted employee of a police service. ...

African American History of BPD

Violet Hill Whyte became the BPD's first African American officer in 1937,^[1] but the department itself had not fully integrated until 1966. According to Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets by David Simon, African American officers were not given full authority as officers in the department until this year. Prior to 1966, African American officers were limited to foot patrols as they were barred from the use of squad cars and often were assigned to undercover positions in predominantly African American police districts. Furthermore, African American officers were often subject to racial harassment and the silent treatment from both their Caucasian coworkers and African American citizens in the communities they patrolled. It was not uncommon for African American officers to daily encounter degrading racial graffiti on the restroom walls of the very districts/units they were assigned to and racial slurs from white co-workers during roll call. An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... David Simon (born 1960) is an American author, journalist, and writer/producer of television shows based on his books. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

Little trust existed between the department and the largely African American city during a time where African Americans in urban areas in particular were growing disenfranchised with the lack of progress of the civil rights movement. Racial riots due to police brutality were occurring all over America, and the racial mistreatment at the hands of several White officers labeled Baltimore as a trouble spot for violence. The police force at the time was also under study of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) as the department was severely troubled at the time. The IACP report showed the BPD to be the most corrupt and antiquated in the nation with an almost non-existent relationship with Baltimore's African American community. The changes demanded in the department occurred almost overnight with the hiring of new police commissioner Donald Pomerleau. Pomerleau himself was an ex-marine who authored the IACP report committed to changing the department and improving relations with Baltimore's African American community.^[2] An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

Since Pomerleau's hiring, the department made reforms time to improve the relations with Baltimore's growing African American community. Through affirmative action and an increase in minority recruits, the department had undergone integration. By the early 1970's, an African American major James Watkins was present commanding a tactical unit in the Western District,^[3] the district home to many of Baltimore's historical African American landmarks and neighborhoods. In 1984, Bishop L. Robinson was named as Baltimore's first African American Police Commissioner.^[4] An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Affirmative action refers to policies intended to promote access to education or employment aimed at a historically socio-politically non-dominant group (typically, minorities or women). ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... This article is about the year. ... Bishop L. Robinson was the first African American police commissioner of Baltimore, Maryland. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

Currently, the department is administered by Acting Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III and Deputy Commissioner of Administration Deborah A. Owens both of whom are white and Deputy Commissioner of Operations Anthony Barksdale who is African American. ^[5] Following the 2007 Baltimore election, Bealefeld has stated that they do not wish to remain as the department's commissioner leaving the commissioner's vacancy to be most likely filled by Charles Ramsey, an African American who is the former police commissioner of Washington, DC.^[6] An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Charles H. Ramsey is the current chief of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department (MPDC) in Washington, D.C. A native of Chicago, Illinois, he joined the Chicago Police Department as an 18 year old cadet in 1968. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

During Martin O'Malley's administration as mayor, the department had become 43% African American.^[7] While progress has been made to improve the department's relationship with Baltimore's now majority African American community, improvements are still being made to the department which for several years has been subject to criticism for its treatment of African American citizens. Martin Joseph OMalley (born January 18, 1963) is a Democratic politician and the 61st and current Governor of Maryland. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

BPD Today

BPD, like many other police departments in the United States, has experienced negative publicity in recent years due to a few high profile corruption and brutality allegations, including the 2005 arrest of Officers William A. King and Antonio L. Murray by the FBI for federal drug conspiracy charges. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... David Kirkwood on the ground after being struck by police batons Police brutality is a term used to describe the excessive use of physical force, assault, verbal attacks, and threats by police officers and other law enforcement officers. ... F.B.I. and FBI redirect here. ... Retail selling Street selling is the bottom of the chain and can be accomplished through purchasing from prostitutes, through cloaked retail stores or refuse houses for users in the act located in red-light districts which often also deal in paraphernalia, dealers marketing merriment at night clubs and other events...

Former Commissioner Ed Norris was indicted on three charges by US Attorney Thomas DiBiagio. Two of the counts charged Norris had made illegal personal expenditures from the Baltimore Police Department’s supplemental account. The third count alleged that he had lied on a mortgage application, stating that approximately $9,000 he received from his father was not a gift—as was stated in the loan papers—but a loan. As part of a plea bargain in May 2004, Norris pleaded guilty to the first two counts and was sentenced to six months in federal prison, six months of home detention, and 500 hours of community service, which Judge Dick Bennett said must be served in Baltimore. The plea bargain avoided a possible 30-year sentence on the mortgage fraud charge. Edward T. Norris is a radio personality who hosts the Ed Norris Show on WHFS in Baltimore, Maryland. ... This article is about the legal mechanism used to secure property in favor of a creditor. ... Father with child For other uses, see Father (disambiguation). ... A plea bargain (also plea agreement, plea deal or copping a plea) is an agreement in a criminal case in which a prosecutor and a defendant arrange to settle the case against the defendant. ... This is a list of U.S. federal prisons. ... In justice and law, house arrest is the situation where a person is confined (by the authorities) to his or her residence. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

A rash of high profile corruption and brutality allegations have surfaced in late 2005 and early 2006, including the suspensions and arrests of Southwestern District flex squad officers for the alleged rape of a 22 year old woman they had taken into custody for illegal possession of narcotics. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Stories surfaced about flex squad officers planting evidence on citizens. Murder charges were dropped by the city when it was revealed that the gunman was dropped off in rival gang territory after a police interrogation in a squad car. The man was beaten badly and exacted his revenge the next day. The squad's role in the shooting prompted State's Attorney Patricia Jessamy to drop the charges. For other uses, see Gang (disambiguation). ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Patricia Jessamy (born July 26, 1948 in Hollandale, Mississippi) is the States Attorney of Baltimore, Maryland, and has held the office since February of 1995. ...

Amid all this, intense criticism has surfaced regarding so-called "stop-and-frisk" arrest procedures and their alleged misuse by the BPD. The president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3, Lieutenant Paul Blair, has stated that there are arrest quotas at work in the police department which lead to Baltimore's astronomical arrest rate, and to roughly 1/3 of the charges being dismissed by the State's Attorney's office. The Fraternal Order of Police is a fraternal organization for sworn police officers. ... Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service or police officer rank. ... A quota is a prescribed number or share of something. ...

Many of these arrests were for "quality of life" violations such as drinking in public, loitering and public urination. Criminal citations have generally been used for these types of offences however, BPD General Orders and State law forbid these being issued to persons not possessing a valid state issued identification. In cases where a defendant does not have the required identification, the officer may make an arrest. Criminal citations are used by police in some jurisdictions in order to charge a person with a crime without the need of making a physical arrest. ... A defendant or defender is any party who is required to answer the complaint of a plaintiff or pursuer in a civil lawsuit before a court, or any party who has been formally charged or accused of violating a criminal statute. ...

BPD was portrayed in the NBC television series Homicide: Life on the Street which ran for seven seasons and spawned a TV movie. The series is based on the book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets by David Simon and was produced by Barry Levinson. The HBO original series The Wire also features the department and was created by David Simon. At times, there has also been crossover in stories and characters from Law & Order and Homicide: Life on the Street. The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... Homicide: Life on the Street is an American television drama series chronicling the life of a fictional Baltimore police homicide unit. ... David Simon (born 1960) is an American author, journalist, and writer/producer of television shows based on his books. ... Barry Levinson Barry Levinson (born April 6, 1942 in Baltimore, Maryland) is a Jewish-American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. ... HBO (Home Box Office) is a premium cable television network with headquarters in New York City. ... The Wire is a police/crime television drama shown by the HBO cable network in the United States. ... Law & Order is a long-running American television police procedural and legal drama set in New York City. ...

Mergers

In the early 1960's the Baltimore City Park Police were absorbed into the Baltimore Police Department. In 2005, the Housing Authority of Baltimore City Police were disbanded and operations taken over by the Baltimore Police Department. Housing Authority officers, if they desired, had to apply for jobs with the city police losing their time and seniority they had from previous employment with the Housing Authority of Baltimore City. There is current talk of merging the Baltimore Schools Police into the department as well though it is unclear if those officers would have to reapply for positions within the Baltimore Police Department and what if any job benefits such as seniority and pension they might be able to bring with them in the new position.

Staffing

The Baltimore Police Department is staffed by nearly 4000 civilian and sworn personel. These include dispatchers, crime lab technicians, chaplains and unarmed auxiliary police. In times of armed conflict a civilian is any person who is not a combatant. ... A dispatcher can mean different things (with related meanings). ... A chaplain in the 45th Infantry Division leads a religious service in an unknown location during World War II. US Navy Chaplain Kenneth Medve conducts Catholic Mass onboard the Ronald Reagan (2006) A chaplain is typically a priest, ordained deacon or other member of the clergy serving a group of... A CISCO Security auxiliary police officer stands guard beside an armoured truck while his colleagues deliver high-valued goods to and from commercial clients at Raffles Place, Singapore. ...

Fleet

The Baltimore Police Department fleet consists of primarily the Ford Crown Victoria and Chevrolet Impala. Some older Chevrolet Caprices may be seen as some are still in service. Motorcycles are Harley Davidson. Vehicles are white with blue and silver striping. A replica of an officer's badge is on the driver's and front passenger door. For the Police Interceptor version used by law enforcement, see Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. ... The Chevrolet Impala is an automobile built for the Chevrolet division by General Motors. ... The Chevrolet Caprice (later called Caprice Classic) was a series name of automobile produced by Chevrolet, a division of General Motors, in the United States from the 1965 through 1996 model years. ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ... Harley-Davidson Motor Company (NYSE: HOG) is an American manufacturer of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. ... For other uses, see Blue (disambiguation). ... This article is about the chemical element. ... NY NJ Port Authority Police Department Badge. ...

Weapons

The primary service weapon is the Glock 22 .40 calibre pistol. Officers are also issued a Monadnock expandable baton, koga stick and OC spray. Remington 870 shotguns are available as well as a less lethal model of the 870. Glock 22 in Olive Drab finish (with magazine) The Glock 22 is a pistol manufactured by Glock. ... Minus forty is: the temperature (in degrees) at which Celsius and Fahrenheit scales read the same; often referred to as 40 below. ... The word caliber (American English) or calibre (British English) comes from the Italian calibro, itself from the Arabic quâlib, meaning mould. ... A Browning 9 millimeter Hi-Power Ordnance pistol of the French Navy, 19th century, using a Percussion cap mechanism Derringers were small and easily hidden. ... Pepper spray is a non-lethal chemical agent which is used in riot control and personal self-defense. ... It has been suggested that Remington M870 Tactical be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Shotgun (disambiguation). ...

References

• A collection of Baltimore Sun articles about Baltimore's troubled jail facilities
• Baltimore Police website
• Baltimore Police history
• CitiStat website
• CCTV article from CNN.com
• William and King article from the Baltimore Sun
• Local Police Departments 2000 survey from the U.S. Department of Justice
• Top 50 U.S. cities by population from Infoplease.com
• List of Baltimore Police Officers killed in the line of duty from the Officer Down Memorial Page.
• FOP Lodge 3 site
• Folsom, de Francias. Our Police: A History of the Baltimore Force from the First Watchman to the Latest Appointee (1888). Provides a detailed (532 pages + roster of officers) contemporary account of the police force in nineteenth-century Baltimore.
• Melton, Tracy Matthew. Hanging Henry Gambrill: The Violent Career of Baltimore's Plug Uglies, 1854-1860 (2005). Describes how the response to deadly gang violence led to the development of a professional police force in Baltimore during the 1850s.
• Flex squad rape charges dropped [1]