No Officers Allowed On Leave As Baltimore Tries To Stem Violence

BALTIMORE, MD — The Baltimore Police Department has suspended leave within the agency and increased patrols due to the spike in violence. On the first day of October, there were three homicides; two victims died that day, and one was pronounced deceased on Tuesday, Oct. 2.

"We have made some significant changes in how we’re deploying over the next couple of days," Interim Commissioner Gary Tuggle said.

"We’re suspending all leave for our police personnel for the next few days," he said at a press conference on Monday, Oct. 1. That means whoever was not scheduled to be off for those days must report on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

"We simply don't have enough police," Tuggle said. "We've got to do something."

Police have been "tracking the uptick" in violence since the end of September, he said, noting there were 18 homicides between Sept. 24 and Oct. 1.

Here is were where those homicides occurred, he said:

• Two in central district
• One in eastern district
• Three in northeast district
• Two in northern district
• One in northwest district
• One in western district
• Four in southwest district
• Four in southern district

Some of the homicides were random, some were robbery-based and some involved a dispute, including two domestic incidents, officials said. A few of the victims were targeted, and authorities had some "encouraging leads," according to Tuggle.

To help in the short term, he said he was placing more officers on the streets of Baltimore.

"Every district will see additional personnel," Tuggle said.

He said that 527 officers and detectives, 66 sergeants and 20 lieutenants would be mobilized, with personnel sent to areas that historically have seen violence and where "we may think there may be some retribution."

In addition, the city has turned to federal and other allied agencies for help with intelligence.

"It's our job to look at the data and try to get ahead of those actions," Tuggle said.

"This is not going to be easy," Tuggle said, noting the solution — just like the problem — would not come to fruition overnight.

Pictured, a safety walk in the northern district on Sept. 29 traveled through Waverly, Oakenshawe and Guilford. Photo courtesy of Baltimore Police Department/Major Rich Gibson.