Twelve officers are deployed through a multi-agency initiative with the Baltimore Police Department and Maryland Transit Administration Police.
The multi-agency initiative between the University of Maryland, Baltimore Police Department (UMBPD) and law enforcement partners likely prevented a violent crime on South Eutaw Street last Wednesday. Twelve officers from UMBPD, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), and Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Police met at Lexington Market to patrol the area between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“I would like to send a special thank you to BPD Officers Baillum, Atkins, Gillis, MTA Police Lt. Jackson, UMBPD Lt. Johnson, and all the officers who participated in this collaboration of community policing,” says BPD Sgt. Bryant Austin. “Through this collaboration, we are making progress and improvements in our community.”
Officers split into two groups and patrolled the north and south sides of Lexington Market. By the end of their shift, the officers had taken the following actions:
- 37 business checks
- 3 warrants arrests
- 3 UMBPD parking citations
- 2 state citations
- 1 response to a behavioral crisis by a member of the UMBPD Community Outreach and Support Team and a social work intern
- 1 handgun recovered
- 1 knife recovered
- 0 uses of force
BPD also increased its patrols around Lexington Market in support of this multi-agency initiative. During a business check, BPD officers noticed two people fighting. According to the BPD police report, one had a knife. The other pulled out a gun. That’s when the person with the gun noticed the police officers. The subject hid the gun and ran. Officers were able to recover the gun thanks to witnesses. BPD is investigating the incident.
“These police officers were in the right place at the right time,” says Thomas Leone, MSL, assistant vice president for public safety and chief of police. “I also want to commend the witnesses who came forward. We always say, ‘If you see something, say something,’ and they did. Their information helped us get a dangerous weapon off the street.”
The law enforcement collaboration is part of the University’s EMBRACE initiative, a “multifaceted approach designed to increase the vibrancy of the greater UMB campus, boost UMB’s community impact in West Baltimore, and strengthen UMB’s profile with our internal and external constituencies,” according to an article about the initiative.
UMBPD has already been taking great strides in its community outreach efforts for vulnerable populations in areas surrounding UMB. In 2021, the UMBPD Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST) began a partnership with the University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) to work with interns to provide case management support to those in need — the first program of its kind in the country. The interns work with UMBPD’s outreach liaison to provide unhoused populations with resources, including mental health support, drug treatment placement, job placement, vital records procurement, and more.
“Making a difference in our community starts with the connections we build with our neighbors,” says Lt. Matthew Johnson, commander of COAST. “Enforcing the law is part of our role, but it’s not the whole story. Our partnerships with the School of Social Work, Paul’s Place, and other community partners are making a lasting impact in West Baltimore.”
UMBPD’s community outreach initiatives are making a difference. Crime data shows that UMB is among the safest places in Baltimore City. UMBPD has concurrent jurisdiction and enforcement authority with the BPD, meaning UMB’s sworn police officers have legal power on UMB’s campus. As fully vested police officers, UMB police officers can also respond to incidents beyond campus.
“People may ask, ‘Why are we patrolling the Eutaw Street Corridor? That’s outside UMB,’” says Leone. “Our commitment to the community doesn’t stop at the edge of campus. If we’re dedicated to the University’s mission to serve the public good — and we are — then we have to do everything we can to make our community a safe and thriving place to live, work, and learn.”