Baltimore’s acting police commissioner, Richard Worley, has been appointed interim Commissioner to replace Michael Harrison, who recently resigned from his position leading the city’s police department. Worley worked his way up to the second-in-command over 25 years of service with the Baltimore Police Department. He has been a prominent figure at recent news conferences and has served as Chief of Patrol and Head of Detectives before being promoted to deputy commissioner. As acting commissioner, Worley plans to build on Harrison’s legacy by implementing a group violence reduction strategy and reducing homicide rates.
Harrison’s departure comes amid a shift in attitudes about public safety among city leaders. While homicides and shootings in the notoriously violent city have been trending downward, critics argue that the reduction is too little too late. The US Department of Justice has charged Baltimore Police Commissioner Darryl De Sousa with three counts of failing to file his taxes. Despite the charges, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh has not asked for his resignation.
Last week, a Baltimore newspaper and a woman who was punched and beaten by police during a break-in in 2012 sued the city, claiming that a gag order in police brutality cases violates the First Amendment. The Baltimore Brew reported that the city demands strict confidentiality agreements while settling police brutality cases that prohibit plaintiffs from speaking to the media or even acknowledging the existence of any settlement. The lawsuit claims that, fearful of losing their settlements, victims remain silent and officials are free to deliver a distorted version of the facts.
Authorities continue to promote a holistic approach to public safety, and police officers have used less force against citizens. In recent months, minor crimes such as loitering, drug possession, and public urination have been punishable through a newly introduced citation program. The Baltimore Police Department entered into a consent decree with the federal government in January after an investigation found that it had engaged in “a pattern and practice of conduct that violates the First, Fourth and 14th Amendments of the Constitution.”
Worley, who has already expressed interest in the position of commissioner since becoming a captain, believes that Harrison built a management team that “works well together” and has highlighted the department’s ongoing manpower shortage. Reducing gun violence and addressing this persistent shortage of patrol officers continue to be notable issues for Baltimore’s new acting commissioner.
