Baltimore's Top Cop Abruptly Steps Down, Leaves Crime-Fighting Plan In Limbo
Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison stepped down this week as the progressive-run city struggles with homicides, a drug crisis, and a troubling rise in violence involving teenagers.
"I have been truly blessed to serve this city of Baltimore... and this opportunity to serve as your police commissioner is one that I will always cherish," Harrison said Thursday at a news conference.
Harrison's abrupt exit as Baltimore's top cop marks the 11th change in leadership since 2000. He was the longest-serving police commissioner in the metro in more than two decades. After nearly three decades in the New Orleans Police Department, he joined the Baltimore Police Department in 2019.
If you missed yesterday’s BREAKING NEWS on @wbalradio from @BaltCityHall Here are a few of my videos & pics of @MayorBMScott’s press conference that I was one of the reporters here as we learned of changes atop @BaltimorePolice with Michael Harrison “out” & Rich Worley “in” pic.twitter.com/zE9bCqN22T
— Scott Wykoff (@ScottWykoffWBAL) June 9, 2023
Harrison told local news WBAL TV in an interview in April that progress in making reforms and rebuilding community trust has been seen over the four years:
"We're totally different than we were four years ago, but we've made all these improvements. Let me be the first to say we have a long way to go," he said.
The only difference Baltimore City has seen in the last four years is that it descended quicker into a hellhole of shootings, homicides, and other violent crimes as teenagers run amuck. Troubled youth has become so bad that the city's Democrat mayor, Brandon Scott, has placed a curfew on teens this summer.
Baltimore's top cop had more than 1.5 years left on his contract. An abrupt exit is a sign the crime-fighting plan by the police department and the mayor might be failing to reduce crime.
