So, here’s our New Year’s resolution: six reasons we are hopeful that violence in Baltimore will decrease this upcoming year.

Body Cameras
In late October, more than 150 Baltimore police officers were equipped with body cameras as part of a two-month pilot program. The officers were told to record all of their interactions with the public, making this the first step toward more transparent and more accountable policing in the city. The use of the body cameras—the city is now deciding on a vendor to run the program—should be helpful for both law enforcement officers, who indicated they like having the cameras during testing, and citizens, in terms of rebuilding trust.

Safe Streets Expansion
In Safe Streets’ unique program, former gang members are hired to educate the community that violence is no longer acceptable. The McElderry Park location hit a bump in the road back in July, but the Health Department’s grant-funded program has expanded to the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood, where the Freddie Gray tragedy took place. With locations in Cherry Hill, Park Heights, and Mondawmin, and McElderry Park’s reopening in September, the program has been effective at minimizing crime in those targeted areas. Cherry Hill celebrated 440 days without a gun shooting back in June, proving that the program can succeed.

New Police Commissioner
The spike in the city’s crime after the death of Freddie Gray led to Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s firing of police Commissioner Anthony Batts in July and promoting of Kevin Davis, former deputy to Batts, to chief in October. Batts, already unpopular, had clearly lost the respect of the rank and file in light of his response to Freddie Gray’s death, the ensuing riot, and aftermath of protests. Davis has spoken out about toughening guns laws in the state recent months, following the shooting of an officer, and plans to lobby legislators for stricter penalties for carrying an illegal firearm, currently a misdemeanor.

Increased Street Patrol
In an effort to put the brakes on increasing violence in the city, Commissioner Davis put a “Community Stabilization Initiative” in place at end of 2015, with all sworn police officers spending time in uniform, on the streets, engaged in foot patrol and stationary post efforts. The change, at the moment, is only intended to last until the end of the year, but the hope is that it will set a positive tone for 2016. Longer term, Davis has said he’s committed to more street patrol training for officers and cadets, which is desperately needed, as well as more community engagement from the police department.

Department of Justice Review
This past spring, the Department of Justice announced a new, wide-ranging federal civil rights investigation into the Baltimore Police Department, building upon a voluntary and collaborative review launched previously with the city. The DOJ has completed several dozen such reviews of police departments across the U.S.—more than one in the case of some cities—over the past two-plus decades. If they uncover systemic civil rights problems, they can make court-enforceable agreements with local departments, overseen by independent monitors, which can become blueprints for moving forward.

Committed and Loyal Baltimoreans
The death of Freddie Gray has inspired Baltimoreans and an enormous variety of groups to action, in the arts community, in education, in the for-profit and nonprofit world, including, local organizations like 300 Men March and BUILD Baltimore. So many people in this city volunteer in their community, including mentoring the future leaders of Charm City, that we can’t help but be inspired and believe in a brighter 2016 for Baltimore.

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Gray, who was arrested and taken into police custody April 12, died April 19 at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Shock Trauma from injuries that included a broken neck and severely damaged spinal cord.

At a short press conference following the meeting with faith-based leaders as well as the leadership of the Baltimore chapter of the NAACP, Rawlings-Blake praised the faith community and those in Baltimore who have been peacefully protesting Gray’s death and the handling of his case all week.

Rawlings-Blake said she shared the faith-based and broader community’s desire for justice, but she indicated she still has more questions than answers about how and why Gray died.

“I still want to know why procedures for transport were not followed,” Rawlings-Blake said. “I still want to know why none of the officers called for immediate medical assistance despite Mr. Gray’s apparent pleas…I know that this is absolutely unacceptable and I want answers.”

Rawlings-Blake went on to say that Baltimore City Police Commissioner Anthony Batts has assured her that the BCPD is moving as quickly as possible “with a responsible investigation and we will determine how exactly this death occurred.”

“If necessary,” Rawlings-Blake continued. “We will hold the appropriate parties responsible.”

At the same time that the mayor said she recognizes the growing frustration around Gray’s unexplained death, she said the investigative process must be followed. “In order to have justice, and not just seek justice, there are procedures that have to be followed,” she said.

Batts held a press conference to provide an update on the city police department’s investigation into Gray’s death later Friday, but the results of the BCPD’s initial probe are not slated to be completed and handed over to the city’s state’s attorney’s office until May 1. At that time, the city’s state’s attorney office will consider bringing any charges. According to
live tweets from the press conference, Batts said, “If someone harmed Freddie Gray, we’re going to prosecute them,” but added few substantial new details about the case. He also said he will not be stepping down after calls by some for his resignation.

Six city police officers involved in Gray’s arrest and transport are currently suspended with pay while the matter is being investigated.

Rawlings-Blake said she understands the community’s desire for accountability, but also dismissed calls by some for Batts’ resignation, adding that despite the current tragedy, Baltimore has made “progress” recently in reducing police brutality in the city.

A
Baltimore Sun investigation last year detailed $5.7 million in court judgments and settlements involving more than 100 lawsuits alleging Baltimore City police misconduct since 2011.

Rawlings-Blake acknowledged that the apparent “rough ride” Gray was given in the police van—meaning that he was shackled, but not seat-belted as required by procedure—was not a “one-off.”

“Clearly not,” Rawlings-Blake said. “The reason we have that policy is because of an incident that happened previously. The
Sun published a piece about so-called “rough rides” earlier this week.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan
said Friday he plans to sign a bill that would double maximum payouts in police brutality cases. On Thursday, he said he would sign legislation to encourage police departments in the state to launch body-camera initiatives.

The U.S. Department of Justice
announced Tuesday that they will open an investigation into the Gray’s death.

Funeral arrangements for Gray have been made for Sunday and Monday. Gray’s family will receive visitors from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Vaughn Greene Funeral Home in North Baltimore on Sunday. The funeral service will be held at the New Shiloh Baptist Church in West Baltimore on Monday at 11 a.m.

“It doesn’t matter if you celebrate your holy day on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or another day of the week, [Baltimore] is our community,” said Rabbi Andrew Busch of the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation after Rawlings-Blake spoke. “If we have greater income or are searching for work, it is our community. Regardless of our color, regardless of our education, regardless whether we were born here or came here—this is our community. We must ask difficult questions, but we must remember at every given point, [that] we are all different, but we are all the same in that this is our community.”

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