Oct 10, 2008 12:51 pm US/Eastern
NE Balt. Residents Demand Action In Harris Murder
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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There are calls for action in Northeast Baltimore weeks after the murder of former city councilman Ken Harris.
CBS
There are calls for action in Northeast Baltimore weeks after the murder of former city councilman Ken Harris.
Weijia Jiang reports people living there are taking their requests to the police.
People in the northeast section of the city are angry.
Murders and shootings are down, but robberies are way up, and that was the motive of the murder of Ken Harris.
The community held a meeting to discuss their top concerns, which are quality and quantity of police presence and safety in the area.
Officials say they need to increase police presence, but that doesn't guarantee safer neighborhoods without neighborhood participation.
"We've been pushing, pushing, pushing and begging people on TV to get involved in that case. We've gotten two phone calls from the neighborhood about that case. Two. My homicide unit, his homicide unit needs to get flooded with phone calls about everybody that's a knucklehead in that neighborhood," said Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld.
The crowd is asking for change in police patrols and in the breaking up of crime areas.
Bealefeld says the city will take all actions necessary to cut crime in the area and will add new officers there.
The owner of Northwood Plaza plans to increase security there and present a renovation plan later this month.
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