Black Lives Matter may be having a significant impact on the rising murder rate in Baltimore.
The crime-ridden Charm City shattered its homicide record in 2017, with 343 killings. That’s roughly 56 killings per 100,000 people, making Baltimore the second most dangerous city in America, right behind St. Louis.
Though Baltimore’s murder rate has consistently remained high, violent crime rates have risen precipitously since 2015, and additional anecdotal evidence from local residents suggests Black Lives Matter riots, following the death of Freddie Gray, may have played a role.
The widespread BLM protests against the Baltimore Police Department turned riotous at times – causing mayhem and vandalism in inner-city neighborhoods. Worse, the violence seemed to have quieted what police support there was from the city’s leadership. Then-Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake urged law enforcement to “give space” to rioters who “wish to destroy” property.
As a consequence, criminals feel more emboldened, and cops are less able to address crime effectively. Furthermore, as a result of the demonization of police officers, Baltimore Police Department is suffering from a crippling recruiting shortage – with nearly 30 percent fewer officers than it needs.
Donald Norris, professor emeritus of public policy at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, explained: “The great increase in murders is happening partly because the police have withdrawn from aggressively addressing crime in the city’s many poor, crime-ridden neighborhoods.”
Baltimore pastor, Rev. Kinji Scott, seemed to agree, arguing that more police presence was needed.
“We wanted the police here,” he said. “We wanted them engaged in the community. We didn’t want them beating the hell out of us; we didn’t want that. [But] we need the front line police officers, and we need the heart of the black community to step to the forefront of this discussion. And that’s when we’re going to see a decrease in crime.”
AAN Staff
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