Baltimore police commissioner Michael Harrison unveiled an anticrime plan Thursday that sets a “new performance goal” of responding to serious calls within 10 minutes and said officers will be asked to spend a third of their time on proactive efforts to curb violent crime, the Baltimore Sun reports. The initiatives were among many Harrison as he grapples with the city’s soaring homicide rate. The plan provides more details of his vision for reforming community relations and reducing crime. Harrison also offered a blueprint for more effectively using the department’s resources. He said, “We have established a path for making us one of the finest police departments in the country.”
Harrison’s plan offers an immediate crime-fighting strategy as well as long-term goals for the department over the next five years for crime reduction, community engagement, compliance with the federal consent decree reforms, accountability, technology, increasing the ranks, and communication. Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young said the plan reflects the need to have a “collective and collaborative” approach to reduce crime. “We will focus with laser precision on these people and places that are driving the violence with a goal of comprehensive and collaborative approaches,” he said. “We will work with the community to understand what is needed to reach those who wish to turn their lives around.”