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 WBAL-TV
11 Baltimore:
Lawmakers Propose Police Whistle-Blower Bill: Bill
Would Protect Police Officers Who Report Wrongdoing
News reporter David Collins reported lawmakers have
proposed new whistle-blower legislation to protect police
officers who want to report wrongdoing.
Bill sponsors pointed to the 11 News I-Team's reports this
month that reveal examples of Baltimore police writing off
crimes as unfounded or downgrading the incidents to lesser
crimes (Full Story).
The lawmakers said they have encountered police officers who
felt pressured and threatened with reprisal for not
reporting false crime statistics. They propose to have the
Maryland State Police to handle complaints.
"There is evidence out there that crime statistics may have
been manipulated, and we can only assume that it was done
for political gain," said Sen. Nancy Jacobs, R-District 34,
whose district encompasses portions of Cecil and Harford
counties.
The legislation also protects those who feel pressured to
make questionable arrests.
"Consistently, we've heard from police that say, 'I really
want to tell you, I want this to stop, but I can't because
if I do, I will lose my job,'" said Baltimore City Delegate
Jill Carter, D-District 41.
Carter has cross-filed a Senate bill requiring the
Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention to conduct
statewide audits of crime statistics every three years.
The measure prohibits a governmental agency from knowingly
providing false crime statistics, but bill sponsors couldn't
provide details on how deep into the crime data collection
process auditors would go, or who would be held responsible
if evidence of false reporting was found.
Collins said the lawmakers who did not appear at Thursday's
press briefing on the bills raised questions. He said much
of the Baltimore City delegation was not present, despite
the problem originating in the city.
"Some of this smacks of too much of a political discussion,"
said Baltimore City Delegate Nathaniel McFadden, D-District
45.
One of bill sponsor hails from Montgomery County Executive
Doug Duncan's back yard. Duncan is a Democratic
gubernatorial candidate. Another sponsor is a Republican,
and the third has butted heads with Baltimore Mayor Martin
O'Malley, also a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, for
years.
"I'm a Republican. So, I support (Gov.) Bob Ehrlich," Jacobs
said.
"I don't think it's relevant," Carter said.
"The question comes up, 'Well, the timing of this, is it
political?' You know, we needed this a long time ago," said
Montgomery County Sen. Jennie Forehand, D-District 17.
Copyright 2006 by TheWBALChannel.com. All
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Click here for source story
 WJZ
TV 13 Baltimore:
Crime Statistics Bill Introduced In Annapolis
Adam May
Reporting
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(WJZ) Annapolis, MD In light of accusations that the Baltimore
City Police Department under reported some crimes, another bill
was introduced in Annapolis today.
"This legislation will prohibit police departments from
knowingly providing false information about crime reports," says
Senator Nancy Jacobs of Harford County.
The Accurate Crime Reporting Act would also protect police
officers from being pressured to skew arrest numbers.
"Consistently we've heard from police who say they want this to
stop, but can't or they'll lose their job," says Delegate Jill
Carter of Baltimore City.
This bill and another are being cross-filed by two Democrats and
a Republican. They are targeted at Baltimore City, where the
mayor claims violent crime is down 40%. In a statement, the
mayor's office says, "there's not a shred of evidence that the
bills have any purpose other than pure politics."
But Senator Jacobs says it is not about politics, but simply
getting to the truth. Jacobs does support Ehrlich for a
second term. Delegate Carter would not say who she supports, but
has been a vocal opponent of Mayor O'Malley in the past.
"It's an insult to the public when you have people making
reports that they've been burglarized or shot, and there's no
report made," Carter tell WJZ's Adam May.
But a recent report based on 911 gunshot reports and hospital
reports finds crime numbers are consistent.
As of right now the House bill does not have any co-sponsors.
There is no telling if either bill will make it out of
committee.
Copyright 2006 by WJZ-TV All rights reserved. |
