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Effectively Reducing Crime in Baltimore

NCJ Number
205790
Author(s)
Martin O'Malley; Kevin P. Clark
Date Published
April 2004
Length
87 pages
Annotation
This report presents the tactics and strategy of a plan developed by Baltimore's police commissioner (Maryland) that is designed to dismantle criminal drug organizations in the city and remove professional criminals and recidivist offenders from the city's communities.
Abstract
The plan has five dimensions: "Disrupt" all illegal behavior through compliance-gaining techniques and enforcement by citation and arrest; "Debrief" all arrestees to gain intelligence on illegal activity, criminal organizations, and wanted persons; "Deploy" resources with a focus on the distinctive crimes and conditions of the Baltimore Police Department's nine districts; "Dismantle" criminal organizations that affect the comfort and security of city residents; and "Deliver" professional cases to prosecutors, fulfilling the department's responsibility to deliver communities back to the law-abiding citizens of the city. ComStat is a primary tool for achieving the intended crime reductions in Baltimore. It facilitates crime analysis and effective management of resources. Commanders use ComStat sessions to discuss crime problems and share effective tactical initiatives for replication in other priority locations throughout the city. Deployment results are measured, and counter-movements of criminal organizations are monitored and addressed. In addition to ComStat, the strategy for implementing the plan includes a commitment to cultural change, to personnel, to training, and to integrity. Steps involved in pursuing these commitments are described. Appended "Best Practices" preview, homeland security measures, and charts and graphs