Acting Baltimore police Commissioner Leonard D. Hamm is seeking the permanent job, portraying himself as a homegrown police officer with the ability to build morale and reduce violent crime the Baltimore Sun reports. Hamm’s confirmation hearing is today. Hamm will present to the city council a crime-fighting plan that focuses on reducing violent crime by flooding pockets of the city with additional patrol officers. In the three full months since Hamm assumed control, the city has recorded 60 homicides. There were 46 homicides in the city this year as of yesterday, compared to 45 at the same point last year. Overall violent crime is down this year compared to last year.
Several council members have said they expect to confirm Hamm, though some officials have raised questions about Hamm’s finances, including a 1997 personal bankruptcy filing. Hamm, 55, has declined to say what drove him into bankruptcy.
Link: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.hamm02mar02,1,1331388.story?coll=bal-local-headlines