Union attorney sends letter to BPD

Union attorney sends letter to BPD

PROPOSAL TO CHANGE A STATESTATUTE THAT COMMISSIONERMICHAEL HARRISON BELIEVESWOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO FIREPOLICE OFFICERS CHARGED WITHCRIMES.

WMAR 2 NEWS' MARKROPER IS LIVE OUTSIDEBALTIMORE POLICE HEADQUARTERSIN DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE.

MARK --WHAT DO UNION LEADERS BELIEVESHOULD HAPPEN INSTEAD?THE ATTORNEYS ARGUE FOR UNIONLEADERS THAT OFFICERS SHOULDHAVE THEIR DAY IN COURT FIRST.THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE FIREDBASED ON CHARGES BUT ONLYAFTER THEY ARE FOUND GUILTY OFA CRIME.

LAST WEEK INANNAPOLIS -- COMMISSIONERHARRISON PROPOSED CHANGES TOMARYLAND'S LAW ENFORCEMENTOFFICERS' BILL OF RIGHTS TO BEABLE TO HOLD OFFICER'S MOREACCOUNTABLE FOR CRIMESCOMMITTED WHILE ON DUTY..MEANWHILE -- ACTIVISTS HAVECOME OUT IN SUPPORT OF MOREPOLICE ACCOUNTABILITY IN THEWAKE OF GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATHIN POLICE CUSTODY INMINNEAPOLIS IN MAY.MINNEAPOLIS HAS ALREADY FIREDTHOSE OFFICERS EVEN THOUGHTHEY HAVE YET TO BE TRIED INCOURT COMMISSIONER HARRISONSAYS IF SOMETHING LIKE THEDEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD WERE TOHAPPEN HERE IN BALTIMORE --THE STATE'S LAWS WOULD PREVENTHIM FROM BEING ABLE TO FIRETHE OFFICERS.

HARRISONDETAILED SEVERAL INCIDENTS, INWHICH HE SAYS THE "LAWENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S BILL OFRIGHTS" WENT TO FAR, INPROTECTING OFFICERS ACCUSED OFCRIMES.... HE SAYS HE SHOULDBE ABLE TO*FIRE OFFICERS IFTHEY ARE CHARGED WITH FELONIESOR MISEDEMEANORS - BUT RIGHTNOW, THOSE OFFICERS CAN'T BEFIRED UNTIL THEY ARECONVICTED.

BUT ON WEDNESDAY,AN ATTORNEY FOR THE BALTIMOREFRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE --LODGE THREE SENT THIS LETTERTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THELETTER LAYS BLAME AT THEPOLICE DEPARTMENT ITSELF FORNOT BEING ABLE TO HANDLEINTERNAL INVESTIGATIONSQUICKLY.

ATTORNEY MICHAELDAVEY SAYS THE RUSH TO FIREOFFICERS DEPRIVES THEM OFTHEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TODUE PROCESS AS WELL ASVIOLATES THE LAW ENFORCEMENTOFFICERS BILL OF RIGHTS.

THEPOLICE UNION'S ATTORNEY SAYSTHE CHANGES PROPOSED BY POLICECOMMISSIONER MICHAEL HARRISONLAST WEEK, WOULD HARM ALLPOLICE OFFICERS IN THE STATETHE ATTORNEY FOR THE POLICEUNION ARGUES THE BILL OFRIGHTS DOES HOLD OFFICERSACCOUNTABLE -- AS OFFICERSFOUND GUILTY OF A CRIME AREHELD ACCOUNTABLE.

LIVE INDOWNTOWN BALTIMORE -- MARKROPER -- WMAR 2 NEWS.THE FORMER LEADER OF THEDISGRACED GUN TRACE TASK