The first time TTAG heard about so-called “violence interrupters” – ex-cons hired to stop “gun violence” – we condemned the idea as unsound, unsafe, unworkable and unfair. Not to mention expensive. And dangerous to democracy; politicians employing convicted criminals to police crime-plagued neighborhoods is an inherently corrupt concept. We have repeatedly called for ANY verifiable statistical evidence proving that the “violence interrupters” have ANY impact on crime. By that we meant reducing crime rates. We now have [more] proof that V.I.’s increase crime. Personally. Check out this story at baltimoresun.com . . .
Police said this week’s investigation began when they were called about 2:26 a.m. Monday to the intersection of Hillen and Forrest streets, just south of East Monument Street, where a man said he was just robbed at gunpoint by two men in a gray SUV.
Soon after, an officer spotted the vehicle parked in the 2300 block of E. Monument and saw men dart inside the Safe Streets office. When officers eventually raided the office, they found guns, heroin, cocaine, and other items used in the manufacturing and sale of drugs, including cutting agents and scales, police said.
Nine people were arrested at the site, including two Safe Streets employees [drug dealer Artez Harris and accused murderer Ricky Evans], who Wen said have been terminated.
Anyone want to bet that the Safe Streets drug dealing gang didn’t enjoy some kind of police/political protection – considering the fact that the city’s political establishment loves them some Safe Streets. How much? This much . . .
“Safe Streets works because employees are often ex-offenders who have credibility in the neighborhoods they serve,” Health Commissioner Leana Wen said Tuesday. “This incident is a reflection on the individuals involved, and should not take away the great successes of Safe Streets and the role it has played in reducing violence.”
The three other Safe Streets sites in the city remain open. Wen said the Health Department will conduct a “full debriefing” on the entire program.
Howard Libit, a spokesman for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, said, “The Mayor remains supportive of the program and the effective way it has been able to reach many people in our city and reduce crime. But she recognizes the program must be vigilant with respect to the activities of the program’s participants and staff members.”
So nine Safe Streets taxpayer-funded ex-cons deal drugs and run guns from taxpayer-funded facilities – and we’re just talking here about the one who were caught – and Mayor Stephanie “Room to Destroy” Rawlings-Blake and her minions reckon it’s OK to hit reset. Just like that. Boom! Back in business.
After a suitable pause for reflection – you know; for the story to die down. Just like it did before.
In 2010, the feds linked Safe Streets’ East Baltimore site to the Black Guerrilla Family gang. Mayor Rawlings-Blake reacted by freezing funding for two Safe Streets sites. When her task force couldn’t substantiate allegations against the violence interrupters, she restored the cash payments. In 2013, after cops nabbed two interrupters for unspecified offenses, R-B pulled the plug on Safe Street’s West Baltimore site. And then hit restart.
Anyone else detect a pattern of criminal behavior? From . . . wait for it . . . criminals? Clearly, that’s not a reason to kill the program.
“Safe Streets works because employees are often ex-offenders who have credibility in the neighborhoods they serve,” Health Commissioner Leana Wen said Tuesday. “This incident is a reflection on the individuals involved, and should not take away the great successes of Safe Streets and the role it has played in reducing violence.”
I suppose that’s true. Safe Streets employees must have some serious credibility as fellow drug dealers in Baltimore’s crime-ridden neighborhoods. Oh wait. Aren’t they rivals to the gang bangers causing all that “gun violence”? That could get a bit tricky when they knock on a bad guy’s door to “interrupt” his plan to wreak vengeance on his competitors. I mean, his other competitors.
James Bond, the president and CEO of Living Classrooms, which oversees the East Baltimore program, called Wen’s decision to suspend the program pending a review “appropriate,” but said he still believes in the program’s model and looks forward to restarting the work.
“We would hope that this would not overshadow the great success the program has had in the past,” Bond said.
This year alone, Safe Streets East’s interrupters — including Harris and Evans — have facilitated 136 “remediations” of incidents that likely would have resulted in violence without their intervention, Bond said.
“They were integral in interrupting violence in this community,” Bond said of Harris and Evans. “They were very skilled at that.”
Better than they were at drug dealing and gun running? The mind boggles. Regardless of the entirely incredible “statistic” on remediations, it’s time to kill this stupid idea before someone gets shot. If you know what I mean. [h/t DrVino]