GOOD NEWS? A Native Baltimorean Emerges as the New Police Commissioner
/By: Joel E. Gordon
As a former Baltimore police officer, I have long advocated for promotions from within the department. I have referenced my belief repeatedly on this topic citing the need for someone already with their finger on the pulse of the city who could potentially have a head start on restoring faith to the department and the community as its commissioner. Was anyone listening? Perhaps that message has gotten through. Michael Harrison, who has led the Baltimore department through federal reforms for the last four years, is stepping down from his position.
Richard Worley, is a son of Baltimore and a 25-year Baltimore police veteran who had risen through the ranks to Deputy Commissioner of operations. Mayor Brandon Scott nominated Worley as interim Baltimore police department commissioner and said he intends to nominate him to the position permanently. Worley’s Baltimore roots, experience within the department and his approach to the broader community were of importance in the decision, the mayor said.
Harrison was hired as a reform Commissioner with a primary focus on consent decree implementation. He previously led the New Orleans Louisiana Police Department, where he worked that department toward compliance with its federal consent decree. Gun violence and staffing issues have been extremely troublesome during Harrison’s tenure in Baltimore.
Prior to his departure, Harrison became an issue during a police budget hearing, when City Councilman Eric Costello tried to get Harrison to say whether he intended to serve out the rest of his contract to March 2024. Harrison responded, saying that he serves “at the pleasure of the mayor” and in order to answer the question “I have to know where the mayor stands on that answer before I can actually answer the question.” Harrison said he had “said no to many opportunities that have come, but there may be a consideration that I may have to consider if it comes, if and when it comes, I may have to make that consideration.”
It didn’t take long for the truth on Harrison’s departure to be revealed. Mayor Scott said that after “numerous conversations over the past few weeks it became clear to both of he and Harrison that this was the right time to make this transition.” Harrison stated that he has no current offers and has not yet interviewed for any other jobs. “The first thing is for me is to breathe. The second thing is to make sure I’m here to help the new police commissioner get acclimated to the work.”
Harrison had largely lost the confidence of the city’s Fraternal Order of Police leadership and many in the community.
The Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police responded via Twitter:
(Today), FOP3 learned that PC Harrison will be leaving @BaltimorePolice after 4 long years. The #1 responsibility of a PC is to protect its citizens from violent criminals today, tomorrow, and next week rather than to holistically plan for decades of social work. That is for others. How many have lost their lives from this failed approach? We know Acting PC Worley and we communicate well with him. It is our desire to continue to do so and we hope that he focuses on retention and recruitment because without those numbers increasing we cannot fulfill our first priority to protect our citizens.
Will the new police commissioner be a positive leap forward? Time is of the essence. Let’s all hope he is successful in his earned position.
Joel E. Gordon, Managing Editor of BLUE Magazine, is a former Field Training Officer with the Baltimore City Police Department and is a past Chief of Police for the city of Kingwood, West Virginia. He has also served as vice-chair of a multi-jurisdictional regional narcotics task force. An award winning journalist, he is author of the book Still Seeking Justice: One Officer's Story and founded the Facebook group Police Authors Seeking Justice. Look him up at stillseekingjustice.com
