Baltimore’s Canton neighborhood has experienced a spike in burglaries, with at least 25 (including attempted burglaries) reported in the past month. At times, it’s gotten downright creepy. One victim whose phone was stolen from her home later found a picture of the burglar holding a gun uploaded to her Facebook page. Another reported that a frustrated would-be burglar left human waste on her home.
As alarming as these burglaries are in their own right, they’re also making the Baltimore Police Department look bad. Not because the break-ins (which police believe may be largely the work of a single teenager) have yet to be solved. But because they’ve given neighbors the opportunity to compare notes on their unsatisfying encounters with law enforcement.
A community meeting attended by Maj. William Davis, police commander of the Southeastern District, and James Kraft, who represents Canton on the city council, functioned partly as a gripe session about dealing with police officers. According to the Baltimore Sun, residents complained about officers refusing to get out of their cars to patrol, exhibiting militaristic attitudes, and being generally unapproachable. Councilman Kraft went so far as to accuse officers of “looking for excuses not to do [their jobs].”
For his part, Davis encouraged residents to contact his office to lodge formal complaints regarding officer behavior.
