With strong support from a majority of Baltimore City Council members, Police Commissioner-designee Frederick Bealefeld seems certain to garner enough votes at tonight?s council meeting to confirm his appointment.
Breezing through a confirmation hearing before the council last week, key council members seemed confident Bealefeld?s nomination by Mayor Sheila Dixon would be a shoo-in.
“All indications are that he will be confirmed,” said Shaun Adamec, spokesman for City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
“The council president intends to support his nomination.”
Councilman Jack Young agreed.
“By all means he?s going to pass. I don?t know anyone who will vote against him,” said Young, D-12th District.
Young, one of the few council members who grilled Bealefeld at his confirmation hearing, said the commissioner-designee earned his support by promising to address major flaws he sees in the embattled department.
“Most of the things I asked him about ? more diversity in the command staff, promotions based on performance rather than the old-boy network, and better customer service skills ? he said he will work on,” Young said.
Supporters of the 27-year veteran of the Baltimore Police Department point to Bealefeld?s steadfast execution of Dixon?s oft-criticized crime plan focusing on “targeted” enforcement and better community relations as key to his swift approval.
The plan, a departure from the zero-tolerance strategy of her predecessor, Gov. Martin O?Malley, has delivered a slight reduction in both homicides and shootings since Bealefeld took over for former Commissioner Leonard Hamm on July 19.
“Since July 19 to Nov. 18, we?ve had 70 fewer nonfatal shootings over the time period compared to last year, and six fewer homicides,” said Sterling Clifford, spokesman for the police department.
“The overall number of arrests are down 11 percent, and the number of people arrested and released without charges is down 23 percent over the same period in 2006.”
Clifford said the numbers show Bealefeld has made progress since his appointment by the mayor.
“The police headquarters knows the numbers are moving in the right direction, certainly no one is ready declare victory,” he added.
