Crime Reduction
& Departmental
Transformation Plan

Year one review: July 1, 2019 - June 30, 2020

 Table of Contents
MESSAGE FROM THE POLICE COMMISSIONER  4
CITYWIDE CRIME STATISTICS  5
MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES  6
MODERNIZING & BUILDING THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE FUTURE   7
STRENGTHENING Local, State & Federal Partnerships  8
MAJOR POLICE ACADEMY INVESTMENTS  9
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING  10
MANAGING major events with distinction  11
GUIDing OPERATIONS by Utilizing DATA-DRIVEN TOOLS & STRATEGIES  12
INCREASED FOCUS ON OFFICER SAFETY & WELLNESS  14
CREATING ACCOUNTABILITY BY REFORMING PUBLIC INTEGRITY BUREAU   15
Reforming the BPD through the CONSENT DECREE  16

 MESSAGE FROM THE POLICE
COMMISSIONER
It has been one year since
I presented the Baltimore
Police Department’s Five-Year
Strategic Crime Reduction
and Transformation Plan. This
past year has presented many
challenges, from a change in
City leadership to a ransomware
attack to the COVID-19
emergency to mass police
reform protests, all in the midst
of historic levels of violence.
Despite these challenges,
progress continues to be made
on many fronts. This document
outlines some of the notable
accomplishments of the work that
we have done during this time.
I am extremely proud of my
team, the brave men and women of the BPD, and all of the progress
that we have achieved. No one accomplishment by itself will solve all of
our problems, but taken together represent positive momentum and a
foundation that we will build upon this upcoming year and beyond. As we
do this, we will add greater capacity, become a stronger Department, and
improve our ability to respond to and prevent crime in Baltimore.

Police Commissioner Michael Harrison
No one accomplishment by itself will solve all of our problems, but
taken together represent positive momentum and a foundation that
we will build upon this upcoming year and beyond.
4

 CITYWIDE CRIME STATISTICS
YTD Comparison (January 1st to May 31st)
BPD is making progress on nearly every index crime. However, shootings
(while declining from the prior year) and homicides unacceptably persist.
Among the initiatives that BPD is undertaking to address this violence
include the launch of focused deterrence and group violence intervention.
Experience with these programs in New Orleans, as well as in other cities
where successfully implemented has demonstrated substantial reductions
in homicides and gun violence to levels not seen in decades.
BPD, in conjunction with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, has
been working diligently to build the program. We have secured financial
commitments from institutional and philanthropic sources over the next
three years that will fund the initiative starting in early FY21.
Crime Type

2019

2020

% +/-

Violent Crime

4,280

3,747

-12%

Homicide

125

128

2%

Rape

127

79

-38%

Robbery

1,892

1,602

-15%

Agg. Assault

2,136

1,938

-9%

Shooting*

275

234

-15%

Property Crime

10,115

7,657

-24%

Burglary

2,146

1,705

-21%

Larceny

4,298

3,121

-27%

Larceny from Auto

2,095

1,572

-25%

Auto Theft

1,533

1,227

-20%

43

32

-26%

Common Assaults**

3,452

2,959

-14%

Grand Total

14,395

11,404

-21%

Arson

* Shooting is a subcategory of aggravated assault or robbery.
** Common Assaults are not Part I crimes and therefore not counted towards the Grand Total.
5

 MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES
Created clearer lines of
authority, more appropriate
spans of control, and
greater efficiency through
reorganization.

+42

Created 42 new civilian positions
to grow capacity and shift
officers back to the streets.

Returned more than 100 officers
back to full duty through the new
Administrative Duties Division
(ADD) that supervises medically
suspended officers.

Professionalized management
with new Chief Financial
Officer, Chief Technology
Officer, Equity Officer and
Academic Director civilian
positions.

Finalized Departmental Staffing
Plan with public comment and
court approval.

$2,500,000

$2,000,000

$1,650,000
$1,500,000

$1,000,000

$500,000

$0
PPE
7/06/19

PPE
7/20/19

PPE
8/03/19

PPE
8/17/19

PPE
8/31/19

OT worked during Pay Period

PPE
9/14/19

PPE
PPE
PPE
PPE
PPE
PPE
PPE
PPE
9/28/19 10/12/19 10/26/19 11/09/19 11/23/19 12/07/19 12/21/19 1/04/20
OT Historical Edits Entered in Pay Period

OT worked for Major Special Event(s)

PPE
1/18/20

PPE
2/01/20

PPE
2/15/20

PPE
2/29/20

PPE
3/14/20

PPE
3/28/20

Target ($1.65M per pay period)

Implemented policy changes that have reduced overtime costs by 30%.

Kudos to Mr. Harrison for this solid management move, an important
incremental step toward making good on his promise to create a
better run and more trusted department.
6

- Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, October 23, 2019

 MODERNIZING & BUILDING THE
DEPARTMENT FOR THE FUTURE

The state of BPD’s working conditions is affecting both morale and
performance. We are completing significant projects that provide our
officers with better environments to work and tools to do their jobs.

New Facilities & Vehicles
; Central District will have a new home in the former Baltimore Sun
Building.
; The Police Training Academy has completed a move to the University
of Baltimore.
; Implementing policies recommended by the Civic Innovators Program
that allow us to add more vehicles and that are in better condition.

New Technology
;  Drafted and implementing BPD’s five year strategic plan for IT

application and infrastructure modernization
;  Procured new systems that will make the BPD a better and more

efficient department, including:

•  Records Management System that will transform the BPD from a

paper-based to a modern digital agency.
•  Learning Management System that will track officers’ trainings,

class attendance, and performance.
•  Workforce Management System that will assist in scheduling,

controlling overtime and contract compliance.
;  Implemented E-TIX Electronic Ticketing Software in patrol cars.
;  Modernizing BPD computers to support mobile workforce.

Officers reported that the technology and equipment the
Department issues are decades old and make carrying out their work
inefficient and challenging.
- A Summary of Focus Groups with Baltimore Police Officers, June 2019

7

 STRENGTHENING Local, State
& Federal Partnerships
BPD worked to receive over $15 million in new federal, state and
private grant funding to enhance our operations, including:

; New Records Management System
; Additional Sworn Officers
; Federal Task Force Initiatives
; Technology Improvement
; Police Training Academy Move
; Recruitment Campaign
; Focused Deterrence Initiative
BPD was selected as part of the DOJ’s Public Safety Partnership,
providing technical assistance, training and other federal
resources to enhance violence reduction strategies.

BPD was selected to participate in Operation Relentless Pursuit,
providing additional federal agents, prosecutors, and funding
targeting gangs, guns and violent crime.

Started regular case reviews with the State’s Attorney’s Office to
strengthen the quality of cases for homicides, non-fatal shootings
and armed robberies.

Partnered with local institutions on several major initiatives:

; University of Baltimore & Morgan State University conducted
research on effectiveness of emerging technology.

; University of Maryland is providing graduate students to serve as
analysts for the Baltimore Community Intelligence Centers.

; Private and non-profit leaders through the Civic Innovators program
studied efficiencies in BPD’s fleet operations.

8

 MAJOR POLICE ACADEMY
INVESTMENTS

MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN THE POLICE ACADEMY ENSURE
RECRUITS AND OFFICERS RECEIVE THE MOST CUTTING EDGE
LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING TODAY

Moved the Training Academy
from a dilapidated and
functionally obsolete former
middle school to a rehabilitated
building at the University of
Baltimore.

Increased staffing for Academy
personnel, including the
Department’s first civilian
Academic Director, as well as
new legal and curriculum writers.

#Aforce
Forgood

!

-8

Weeks
Reduced academy schedule
by 8 weeks without affecting
training standards or
coursework. This allows for
greater capacity by starting
6 academy classes per year
as well as the ability to put
recruits on the streets faster.

Innovative Digital Marketing Campaign and Rebranding Paying
Dividends:
;  Applications to join BPD have more than doubled.
;  Hiring is on pace to increase 33% over last calendar year.

The Academy will now have the design, space and technology capacity
to train 200-400 recruits and 2,500 officers for in-service training
annually.
9

 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
& TRAINING

ACHIEVING SUCCESS AND CULTIVATING THE NEXT
GENERATION OF BPD LEADERSHIP THROUGH PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING

é

Created competitive and
open promotions process
allowing anyone qualified
to apply and compete for
command openings.

FBI
BPD’s Colonel in charge
of CID completed the
prestigious 10-week FBI
National Academy, and
another commander will
attend this year.

Six commanders have
been sent to the Senior
Management Institute in
Policing, with another six
attending this year.

All Homicide detectives
are now required and
currently being trained in
basic and advanced death
investigations courses.
No formal training was
required previously.

10

Command staff
attends seminar series
from leading law
enforcement experts
on such topics as
resource allocation,
strategic planning, and
neighborhood crime
reduction.

 MANAGING major events
with distinction
BPD received national recognition for its handling
of the mass protests in the wake of the killing of
George Floyd. Protesters were able to exercise
their first amendment rights safely and without
major incident in contrast to much more violent and
destructive demonstrations in other major cities.

Continued operations uninterrupted throughout
COVID-19 Emergency, including temporary closures
of two police districts and over 500 officers selfquarantined.

- BPD recruits continuing training during covid-19 pandemic
- BPD Officers during peaceful protest at city hall
11

 GUIDing OPERATIONS by
Utilizing DATA-DRIVEN TOOLS
& STRATEGIES
UTILIZE DATA-DRIVEN TOOLS AND STRATEGIES TO GUIDE
OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT

comstat

12

Redesigned COMSTAT to be a 360-degree look at
command’s performance on crime, deployment,
clearances, overtime, use of force, among many other
metrics.

 Created a web application that aggregates this data
into a single easy to use platform that commanders
have at their fingertips.

BCIC

Launched the Baltimore City Intelligence Centers
(BCIC), where analysts assigned to police districts
provide officers with real time intelligence and data.

Completed BCIC in the Eastern, Western and
Southwestern Districts and looking to expand to all 9
districts throughout the City.

Analyzed five years of data to determine where and
when crimes are most likely committed, and base
deployment and overtime usage off of that information.

10

Instituted BPD’s first response time goal of 10 minutes
for Emergency Calls for Service.

ê

Surpassed that goal with 8 minutes and working
towards quicker response.

or less

13

 INCREASED FOCUS ON OFFICER
SAFETY & WELLNESS

10

Conducted 10 fairs
offering physical
fitness, mental
health and financial
planning resources.

epic

Implementing EPIC
(Ethical Policing
is Courageous), a
peer intervention
program that
enables officers to
intervene to prevent
wrongful actions by
other officers.

Decreased overtime hours
worked and the use of
involuntary drafting.

Brought services directly to
officers through new mobile
wellness program and app.

Trained 24 officers to provide
peer and emotional support
for other officers and their
families.

Conducted weekly stress
management sessions
reaching over 2,100 sworn
officers.

Baltimore police are prioritizing officer’s mental health
- CNN, December 2019

14

 CREATING ACCOUNTABILITY BY
REFORMING PUBLIC INTEGRITY
BUREAU

ê

PIB complaints previously
took up to one year to
complete. They now take
an average of 9 months
with goals to reduce even
further. This was achieved
by:
;  Automating a paperbased case process
through expanded use of
IAPRO system.
;  Creating an early
resolution process
for minor misconduct,
allowing officers to
resolve those issues
swiftly while also freeing
up PIB to focus on more
serious complaints.
;  Expanding internal
investigation detectives
from 16 to 23 with
plans to add additional
staffing.

FBI

Appointed a highly
qualified and regarded
Deputy Commissioner for
PIB who previously served
as the head of the FBI’s
Public Corruption Unit.

Developed a
comprehensive
investigations manual
to facilitate thorough
investigations of
misconduct to uphold the
integrity of the agency.

Initiated outside
independent investigation
into the GTTF scandal.

Implemented Critical
Incident Release policy
which guides the process
for releasing video footage
of critical incidents in a
timely manner.

15

 Reforming the BPD through
the CONSENT DECREE
Capacity:
Prior to Commissioner Harrison’s arrival, the Federal Judge and Monitoring Team
continually questioned the Department’s capacity to reform. With a strong leadership
team in place, there’s significantly more confidence in BPD’s ability to reform.

Use of force:
BPD has already implemented the use of force reforms that communities across the
nation are demanding. The entire department has been retrained on its new use of
force policies which focus on de-escalation, the sanctity of human life, and police
legitimacy.

Victim-centered response to sexual assault:
Implemented new policies and procedures on handling sexual assault incidents in a
victim-centered, trauma-informed manner.

Community Policing:
Developed the Department’s first-ever Community Policing Plan to build public trust
and reduce crime through collaboration with the community. The Plan is based on
community and officer feedback.

Behavioral health and crisis intervention:
BPD has overhauled its policies and is redeveloping training for the entire department,
including new recruits and dispatchers to ensure they focus on de-escalation and
diversion. BPD is also developing a new 40 hour Crisis Intervention Team certification
class.

Constitutional Stops, Searches, and Arrests and
Impartial Policing:
Developed new policies and training to help our officers be proactive in protecting not
just the safety but also the rights of all members of our community.

The BPD continues to make good progress on threshhold Consent
Decree obligations, and the infrastructure necessary for BPD to
achieve sustainable compliance is beginning to take shape.
16

- Monitoring team semi-annual report, January 2020