BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENT January 28, 2009 SLA pxON FREDENCKH BEALEFELD Wee ok mbsore! 7 ‘Stephanie Rawlings-Blake ~ President Baltmore Ci Counet Room 400, City Hall 400N. Holiday Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 Bemard C. “Jack” Young Chair, Public Safety and Health Committee Baltimore City Council Room 609, City Hall 100 N. Holliday Street Baltimore, Maryland 21202 Dear Council Prosidont Rawlings-Blake, and Councilman Young: Thank you for contacting my office in reference to the release of police officer names involved departmental shootings. | appreciate your concem to safeguard public trust in the Baltimore Police Department and lock forward to working with the Council to uphold the integrity of our police officers. Unfertunately, this issue was slightly sensationalized by the Baltimore Sun and | appreciate the ‘opportunity to provide clarification. On January"Sth 2009, the Police Department Public Affairs secton implemented an informal polcy to refrain from immediately releasing the identity of officers involved in justiied departmental shootings in order to safeguard the personal security of officers’ and their families against attempts of retaliation and harassment. The rank, tenure, assignment and tistory of the officr would be immediately disclosed along with a description of the incident. The decision as to whether or rot to disclose the icentty of the officer wil be made after the internal invastgation of the incident has been completed. If the investigation finds that the shooting wes not justifed, the identity ofthe offcer wil be released along with the appropriate disciplinary recourse. In instances where officers are found to have acted justifably, | will make the disclosure decision on a case by case basis, With the increasing amount of personal information on any individual available through the internet (home addresses, satelite photographs, credit reports, voting and academic records), wa must take @ measured approach in balancing the public's right to know against personal security considerations. A vitally important factor that can be easily overlooked is the potential safety risks to officers’ spouses and children. | 2008, the BPD investigated 23 teats against city polce officers and recently in Sen Francisco, a police officer and his family had to be placed in protective custody by the State of California for substantiated threats efter @ police involved shooting. The Federal Bureau of Investigaton along with agencies within the United States Departments of Justice and Homeland Security as well as the Police Departments of New York, Prilacelphia, Boston and Atlanta all follow a similar policy. oo 242 W, 28th Steet * Bahmore, Maryland 21211Page 2 ~ Policy Change Your prominence es members of the Baltimore City Council, coupled with your dedication to Public safety position you 10 be vital partners in our efforts to improve quality of life for the residents, business owners and visitors of Ballrmore, Bets a. Bs rue Be 1 oleae