Wednesday, July 8, 2015

"Mayor replaces Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts"

"Rawlings-Blake named Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin Davis interim commissioner, effective immediately."
We cannot grow Baltimore without making our city a safer place to live," Rawlings-Blake said at a press conference at City Hall. "We need a change. This was not an easy decision, but it is one that is in the best interest of the people of Baltimore. The people of Baltimore deserve better."

Rawlings-Blake's decision came hours after she lashed out at the city's police union for for its highly critical report of the Police Department leadership during last month's rioting. She did not respond to a call for Batts' resignation from faith coalition Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development.

She said the Fraternal Order of Police report did not play a role in her decision and that her motivation was instead the spate of murders that has erupted in the city over the past month.

14 comments:

edutcher said...

Uh, last I looked, the autopsy said Gray was high as a kite, was apparently trying to get to his feet (the thumping noise the other guy heard), swooned, and cracked his head.

Obviously the mayor won't resign - that would take integrity - or fire the DA, but the Commish did nothing wrong.

Not unlike what happened to Benedict Arnold before he got fed up.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Finally.

The most obvious part where "anti-Baltimoreans" had a point.

She did it once the controversy of the city's chaotic apathy had passed.

Maybe that was a mercy to him. Or a confession on the part of the mayor.

Trooper York said...

Wait a minute!

She hired the white guy to clean up the mess?

What a racist!

Trooper York said...

I think Baltimore should have a black chief of police. Also a 100% black police force.

Can we get the Justice Department on this right away?

KCFleming said...

I'd say "Baltimore is toast", but toast is probably racist.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

The police commissioner was made the scape goat.

rhhardin said...

She knows what she's doing becuase she's a featured Oberlin graduate.

rhhardin said...

con't

Note in the lower right also the Spring 2014 cover.

virgil xenophon said...

The soon-to-be ex-Commish was HANDPICKED by her highness the Mayor despite serious questions about his qualifications/previous job performance. Now she is throwing him under the bus. What does that say about HER judgement?

ricpic said...

Does Baltimore have the tax base to pay its Police Commish 200 Grand? What does the Mayor "earn," 400 K? And what about the rest of the talented tenth serving "the community?" Magnificent racketeers.

William said...

Why are Freddie Gray and the rioters the dominant part of her constituency? Shouldn't the store owners, their customers, and, most importantly, the police be the decisive factor. Three black cops have been indicted. They made it thru life thus far without being arrested twenty times. Why are they not given the benefit of the doubt?.......Freddie Gray died in police custody. Maybe someone screwed up, but Gray was never going to die a natural death. Most of the rioters would have gladly killed him if he was wearing the wrong colors, or simply for the contents of his pockets.

Trooper York said...

William are you really that naive?

Trooper York said...

The shop owners and the small businessmen are not going back to be burned out again. Baltimore is on its way to becoming another Detroit.

The Mayor is just accelerating the process.

AllenS said...

Baltimore's problem is so deep, that firing one or two people isn't going to fix the mess.

Meanwhile, in Milwaukee a Democratic Party entity, they have a bigger murder rate per capita than Chicago. 10 shot to death in 7 days.

Gov. Walker isn't the problem. It's local.