After Wave of Violence, Baltimore Mayor Fires City's Police Commissioner

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has released Police Commissioner Anthony Batts.

Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin Davis will serve as the city’s interim police commissioner.

The mayor said the change would help refocus the department on its mission, while violence has surged in the city.

“As we have seen in recent weeks, too many continue to die on our streets, including three just last night and one lost earlier today,” Rawlings-Blake said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. ”Families are tired of feeling this pain and so am I.”

There have been more than 150 homicides so far in 2015, compared with fewer than 100 at the end of June 2014, according to Baltimore Police data.

Related: Three Killed Near University of Maryland Baltimore

Rawlings-Blake said that debating leadership of the department was taking away from efforts to battle crime, and “we cannot continue to have the level of violence” that has been plaguing the city since the April riots.

“Recent events have placed an intense focus on our police leadership, distracting many from what needs to be our main focus: the fight against crime,” Rawlings-Blake said. “So we need a change. This was not an easy decision but it is one that is in the best interest of the people of Baltimore. The people of Baltimore deserve better. The brave men and women of our department who put their lives on the line every day to make our city safer deserve better. And we’re going to get better.”

She proceeded to announce that Deputy Commissioner Kevin Davis will lead the department as interim police commissioner, effective Wednesday.

The announcement comes hours after the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #3 released a 32-page analysis of the police department’s response to the April 27 riots, where more than 200 officers were injured.

The change in leadership “happened on the same day but I don’t think [anyone who knows me] would think I would do anything to placate the FOP,” Rawlings-Blake said during the press conference Wednesday afternoon.

Batts served the city for nearly three years, after the mayor brought him on board in 2012. Before then, his roles included being top cop in Oakland and Long Beach, Calif.

Batts said he had been through five riots during his career and knew the riots in Baltimore were coming, according to the police union’s report released Wednesday.

“With all this ‘experience’ and beforehand knowledge at Commissioner Batts’ disposal, he still led us officers to slaughter,” one officer said during a section of the report that offered firsthand accounts from police on the ground.

“I had never in my 14-year career been as afraid as I was at that moment,” said another officer, who was at the Mondawmin Mall uprising. “I was struck with a piece of concrete that I did not see coming. The blow buckled me to my knees.”

Interim Commissioner Davis said that he respected Batts as a mentor and friend, and he would pick up leadership of the department with the mentality: “It’s all about the crime fight, and it’s all about the community.” He added that the position from which police relate to the community “needs to be one of service.”