The Baltimore City Police Department transferred dozens of officers from administrative positions to patrol to combat a recent rise in violent crime, police said.
The reassignment, part of what is called a 30-day detail, began Monday and requires nearly 40 administrative officers and 40 recently graduated cadets to work in police cars.
Matt Jablow, spokesman for Baltimore City Police Department, said the officers, drawn from administrative and headquarters staff, will be assigned to districts throughout the city.
“It?s being done to address the recent rise of violent crime,” he said.
Some of the officers are being transferred from administrative positions in central booking, juvenile detention and evidence control, according to a police source.
Paul Blair, president of the Baltimore City Police Union, said he supports the move.
“We can?t complain that they?re putting more people in patrol and making officers safer,” he said.
But Blair cautioned that moving officers from key administrative positions should only be temporary.
“You can only borrow from Peter to pay Paul for so long; hopefully this will only be for 30 days,” Blair said.
Council Member Kenneth Harris, D-4th District, who has advocated moving officers out of plain clothes into regular patrol, said he was pleased with the move.
“Finally ? this is what I?ve been asking for. Kudos to Commissioner [Leonard] Hamm,” he said. “I?ll be calling to put in my request to get some of these officers in my district.”
Blair said his support is tempered by the concerns of some officers who are being transferred, some of whom are reluctant to leave positions for which they have years of experience.
“They?re concerned as to how long this will last,” he said. “If you?re used to a certain assignment and you?re good at, you don?t necessarily want to move.”
