Staying Safe in the Community
Safety Tips
These safety tips are adapted from information published by the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins University, and the Baltimore Police Department.
-
Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
Walk in pairs or groups whenever possible, especially at night.
When walking alone, walk with certainty & an awareness of your surroundings; keep valuable items close to your body & out of sight.
Let someone know where you are planning on going.
Avoid walking in unlit areas, such as in alleys.
Avoid traveling alone in areas you are unfamiliar with.
Store and lock valuables, such as your car and bike. Hide away anything in your car, such as phone chargers.
Utilize a door camera (such as a Ring). These help police immensely when conducting an investigation.
If you are in danger or see anything dangerous please call 911.
-
Stay off your cell phone in public spaces. Avoid carrying it in plain sight.
If someone asks you for the time, do not pull out your phone. This is a common tactic to steal cell phones.
Password protect your phone and do not store confidential information (such as bank account information) on your cell phone.
Use a GPS-tracking program (such as Find My iPhone) in the event your phone is lost or stolen.
Never hand your phone to a stranger if they volunteer to help you with something.
If your phone is stolen, do not pursue the thief. Contact 911 and your phone service provider.
-
If you have to be sitting in your vehicle for extended periods of time, remember to lock your doors & windows and be aware of your surroundings.
Keep at least one car length in front of you when stopped. This provides a buffer for maneuvering during an emergency.
Hide away valuables in your glove box or trunk.
Try to park in well-lit areas, when possible.
Keep your home and vehicle keys separate.
Do not leave your vehicle unlocked and unattended. This includes leaving it running to warm up in the winter.
If a carjacker attempts to steal your car, give up the car and leave the scene as quickly as possible.
If you have a child in the car, let the carjacker know.
Call 911 as soon as possible.
-
Remain calm and cooperate with the perpetrator. Your most valuable possession is your own life.
Do not attempt to fight off or follow the perpetrator.
Call 911
If you have access to footage of the event you should also submit that to the police.
-
Police officers’ main concern is community safety. There are times when an officer may have to inquire about your name, address, business at a location, & even identification. It is always best to cooperate in these circumstances.
If you feel you have been a victim of racial discrimination or police misconduct, you may submit a complaint online. It will ask you to provide the date & location of the interaction, along with a detailed description & photos (if you have them).
When interacting with a police officer, they are required to:
Provide their name and badge number upon request.
If in plain clothes, identify themselves when taking action.
Inform a person about the reason for being stopped or questioned as soon as possible.
Ensure that the contact is no longer than reasonably necessary.
Only use the amount of force necessary to effect the arrest of a suspect
If a police officer pulls you over for a traffic stop
Safely pull over to a place out of traffic flow.
Remain calm with your hands on the steering wheel.
Officers may be alarmed by sudden movements or ducking in your seat.
Inform the officer if you possess guns on your person or in the vehicle.
If it is nighttime, turning the interior lights on in the car will allow the officer to safely scan the vehicle.
Stay in your vehicle, unless otherwise instructed.
You are entitled to ask for the officer’s identification
Communicate your actions with the officer
If requested, you must provide your license & registration. Tell the officer where they are before reaching for them.
Submit a tip.
If you witness a crime or have other information related to a crime, you can submit information to Sedtips@baltimorepolice.org or use the form on the right.
CitiWatch Camera Rebate/Voucher Program
In exchange for a rebate or voucher to purchase a camera, the CitiWatch Community Partnership asks residents and business owners to register their privately owned camera systems by using a simple online registration form.
State of the District
Recent Safety Trends
Every month the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) provides an update and overview of safety in the South Eastern District. These are held on Zoom on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm EST. The major updates are summarized to the side.
In addition, you can find live crime stats for the entire city online, such as for recent violent crimes. You can also view a map to avoid areas with clusters.
-
Being a victim and/or witnessing a violent crime can be traumatizing for members of our community and first responders.
The Baltimore Trauma Response Team is helping to provide extended support for victims, witnesses, & first responders impacted by violent crime in our city.
There have been expansions of mental health programs in multiple city organizations, as well as peer support programs created to assist people who have experienced trauma in understanding its pervasive impact on their lives.
-
Community safety is the number one priority of the Southeast District Police Department. They continue to conduct patrols of our neighborhoods to ensure protection of our residents & deter criminal activity in our streets.
-
Do not give your phone to a stranger, especially to allow them to tip themselves on cash app. This action can lead to possible theft of sufficient funds from your account and/or theft of your phone.
If someone does try to steal your phone or hijack your cash app, DO NOT pursue them. Contact the police & your bank to handle the situation.
-
Gun violence is an issue that plagues residents across all of Baltimore City and the Southeast district is not immune from these devastating events. If you have any information regarding gun violence, contact Baltimore City Police to ensure they have all of the information.
You can view Councilman Cohen’s written response to episodes of gun violence here
Meet Our New Southeast District Major!
Major Keira Saunders has been appointed as the District Commander of the Southeastern District. Born in Fall River, Mass., she was raised in Laurel and has been a member of the Baltimore Police Department for more than 21 years. Her previous assignments include the Northern District, Southeastern District, Southwestern District, Northwestern District, Northeastern District, Organized Crime Division, Special Enforcement Team and the Education & Training Section. She served as the Executive Officer of the Northern District and was most recently assigned to the Compliance Bureau under the Professional Standards Section. She also was a member of the BPD Honor Guard.
She earned an Associate's Degree from Howard Community College, a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Baltimore, and a Master's Degree in Management from Johns Hopkins University. She holds a certificate in criminal justice leadership from the University of Maryland University College. She is also a graduate of PERF’s Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) Session 81.
Police Explorer Program
This program provides training, service, and practical experience opportunities for youth interested in public safety work. The program is aimed at youth 14-20 years old and is built upon six core pillars: career education, character development, community service, diversity, leadership, and violence prevention.
Individuals who complete the program are provided a pathway to become a cadet and later officer. You can find more information on the program, including eligibility requirements, online.
Contact Law Enforcement
-
Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City
If you are a victim of a crime, the State's Attorney's Office strongly encourages you to submit a Community Impact Statement. This statement is an explanation of how the crime affected you, your family, or your community. You can find tips on writing one at this website.
These statements are extremely important for prosecution of a crime. After a defendant pleads guilty or is found guilty of a crime, a Judge sentences the defendant. The Judge responsible for sentencing the defendant reads and considers Community Impact Statements before setting the sentence.
Contact120 E. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, 21202
443-984-6000 or visit their website -
Baltimore Police Department
If you encounter a crime or are a victim of a crime you should immediately call 911 and BPD can assist you.
You can view a submitted police report online. Additionally, you can also report a crime or officer misconduct online. Note that you should never file an emergency report online, instead call 911.
If you feel uncomfortable contacting BPD, you can also submit an anonymous tip to Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland online or by calling 1-866-7LOCKUP.
Contact
911 for emergencies
211 for non-emergencies or their website for non-emergencies -
Southeastern Police District
The Southeastern Police District serves much of the First District in SE Baltimore (see maps below). You can submit crime tips by emailing sedtips@baltimorepolice.org.
The SE Police District also conducts neighborhood safety walks. You can view this list to see if there is one in your neighborhood as well as information on starting one in your neighborhood.
The office conducts a monthly community safety meeting summarizing the state of the district and major crime trends. This meeting occurs on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm EST on Zoom.
Contact5710 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, 21224
SoutheasternDistrict@BaltimorePolice.org
410-396-2422 or visit their website.
Police Redistricting
-
You can input your address online to find out this information.
-
Yes. Redistricting involves redrawing the geographic boundaries of BPD’s districts and the reallocation of the resources and personnel of BPD along these new boundaries.
-
According to BPD:
“Redistricting allows for balanced allocation of personnel and resources. This makes the Department more efficient and better reflects the city’s changing population and law enforcement needs. It allows us to keep neighborhoods together, better address crimes according to geographies and focus on community interaction. It will also allow officers to respond to calls faster.”
Why is BPD redistricting?
As part of modernization efforts of the City’s police forces, BPD is undergoing redistricting for the first time in over 50 years.
The full draft proposal is available online, with the changes to the SE district shown to the side.
This process will redistribute resources and personnel equitably across the city. For example, the workload for the SE district will drop by about 10,000 residents. You can view these statistics online.
At the same time, it will reunite 18 neighborhoods that were previously divided between districts and improve response times across the city. This will produce a more efficient, modern, and capable police force and strengthen crime prevention programs in Baltimore.
Draft Redistricting Proposal for Southeast Police. The blue line represents the current district boundaries.
“You talk about population workload, crime trends and even individual neighborhoods that have changed dramatically over the past few years, and it’s imperative that we redraw our districts to represent and serve those trends in a better way.”
BPD Consent Decree
What is a consent decree?
In April 2017, the City of Baltimore and Department of Justice (DOJ) entered into a Consent Decree. This is a legal, court-enforceable agreement between the DOJ and City to resolve DOJ’s findings that BPD engaged in a “pattern and practice of conduct that violates the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, and certain provisions of federal statutory law.”
You can view the full text of the agreement online or view a summary of its main provisions as well.
This agreement is monitored by an independent third party. The agreement was made in order to restore community trust in local policing, prohibit unconstitutional actions made by police, and prevent discriminatory police actions.