Baltimore police leader fired after record year in homicides

Mayor Catherine Pugh listens as new Baltimore police commissioner Darryl DeSousa makes remarks at City Hall during a news conference, Friday, Jan. 19, 2018 in Baltimore. Following a record year in homicides, Pugh fired Kevin Davis' the city's police commissioner, saying a change in leadership was needed to reduce crime more quickly. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun via AP)

Story by AP
Written by David McFadden

BALTIMORE (AP) — Following a record year in per-capita homicides, Baltimore's mayor on Friday fired the city's police commissioner after roughly 2 ½ years at the helm, saying a change in leadership was needed to reduce violent crime more quickly.

Mayor Catherine Pugh announced that Deputy Commissioner Darryl DeSousa, who has steadily risen through the ranks during a 30-year career with the police department, will take Commissioner Kevin Davis' place immediately.

"My decision is because I'm impatient," Pugh said at a news conference at City Hall. "My decision is based on the fact that we need to get these numbers down. ... I'm looking for new and creative, innovative ways to change what we're seeing here every day."

While violent crime rates in Baltimore have been notoriously high for decades, Baltimore ended 2017 with 343 killings, bringing the annual homicide rate to its highest ever — roughly 56 killings per 100,000 people. Baltimore, which has shrunk over decades, currently has about 615,000 inhabitants.

In contrast, New York City had 290 homicides last year, its fewest on record in the modern era for the city of 8.5 million people. Los Angeles, with about 4 million residents, saw 305 homicides last year.

DeSousa, a 53-year-old city resident who joined the department in 1988, pledged to reduce violent crime in large part by putting more uniformed officers on the streets and saturating "hot spots," an effort he said is already underway. Additional uniformed officers began rolling out in waves starting at 9 a.m., he said at the news conference, some heading out to what he described as "problematic businesses."....
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Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/baltimore-mayor-replaces-police-commissioner-135711015.html