Baltimore Facing Colossal Police Shortage Following $22 Million Department Budget Cut
Baltimore is facing a mass police shortage following the city’s ongoing efforts to cut the department’s budget.
Only three police officers patrolled an entire district of the city, which houses 61,000 residents, sources familiar with the situation told a local Fox News affiliate.
City-wide calls begging police officers to take on overtime positions were sent out as the officer shortage escalated. Baltimore has one of the highest crime rates in the nation, with an average of 48 per 1,000 residents, according to Neighborhood Scout.
During the city-wide police shortage, a child was allegedly physically abused and found with “bruises all over his body,” and several people were reported missing. Ten minutes after that child was reportedly abused, there was no response from police.
Following the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in 2020, the Baltimore City Council passed an updated budget that slashed police funds by $22 million. Conservative commentator Kimberly Klacik noted that the city’s mayor attempted to refund the police in 2021, though hundreds of officers had already abandoned their posts in the interim.
Sergeant Betsy Branter Smith, a spokeswoman for the National Police Association, blamed the vilification of police officers for the police shortage taking place across the country.
“The reason that nine out of every ten police departments in this country are short-staffed is because we have been dealing with — here in the United States — this three-and-a-half, almost four-year vilification and demonization of the American law enforcement officer,” Smith said.
The police shortage problem is not exclusive to Baltimore. The Pittsburgh police recently announced they will no longer respond to certain calls including calls about theft, harassment, and burglary. Between the hours of 3 AM and 7 AM, there will not be police officers at any police stations across Pittsburgh. Additionally, just last week, a small Maryland town announced the suspension of its entire police force, leaving many residents frustrated and disregarded.
