In response to Mayor Pugh’s announcement today that she has selected Michael Harrison from New Orleans to be the next Baltimore Police Commissioner, the Campaign for Justice, Safety, and Jobs calls on the Mayor and City Council to ensure a transparent process with robust opportunity for community engagement, where community members have the ability to meet directly with Mr. Harrison as soon as possible and before the city council votes on his confirmation.
“Our city deserves no less than a police commissioner who has met with and understands the needs of our diverse residents,” said Lydia Walther Rodriguez, Lead Organizer with CASA and spokesperson for CJSJ, “Public safety will require rebuilding public trust in the police department, and a commissioner who engages with residents directly from the outset will have the best chance of succeeding.”
The coalition is also calling on elected officials to hold community meetings in all nine councilmatic districts, with advance notification and promotion, to ensure that all city residents have the opportunity to meet Mr. Harrison and ask questions of him in person prior to his confirmation. In addition, CJSJ has requested that the Mayor and City Council release his resume and any additional background information that is relevant to his qualifications and experience as a police officer and police chief in other jurisdictions.
“We look forward to reviewing Mr. Harrison’s background and resume carefully, and to meeting with him in person to ask him critical questions about his experience and vision for reforming Baltimore’s Police Department, improving commumity trust, and increasing public safety in our city.” Said Claire Landers, member of CJSJ member Jews United for Justice.
About the Campaign for Justice, Safety and Jobs (CJSJ): CJSJ is a coalition of over 30 organizations representing local and national youth leaders, policy advocates, civil rights organizations, law enforcement, and labor unions. We formed in 2015 in the wake of the Baltimore police in-custody death of Freddie Gray, an unarmed Black man.
