Kevin Kamenetz
Homicide Statistics Press Conference
March 28, 2011
Thanks to all of you for coming here this morning.
Everyone in Baltimore County government shares the same goal: to preserve the prosperity of this County by making it an attractive place to live and work. There are many ways in which every agency contributes to that goal, but they all depend on the same foundation –public safety.
In recent years, Baltimore County has experienced historic lows for crime, and those trends have not abated. Last week, the Baltimore County Police Department completed the Uniform Crime Report for 2010, and I am pleased to recognize the rate of Homicides in Baltimore County during calendar year 2010 dropped by 35 percent compared to the prior year. Between 2005 and 2010, homicides in Baltimore County have dropped by 50 percent. Police Chief Jim Johnson and every officer in the Baltimore County Police Department, along with State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger and his entire staff who work to support our Police Department, share the credit for this remarkable accomplishment.
We are particularly grateful for the bravery, dedication, and professionalism of the men and women who wear a police uniform.
In the past year, police officers in every precinct of this County fought to keep us safe with every tool at their disposal, from detailed statistical analysis to regional partnerships with our neighboring jurisdictions to good old-fashioned police work. The results are undeniable. With the introduction of the latest technology including DNA analysis, I look forward to helping Chief Johnson and his entire Department build on this progress while I am in office.
Now it is my pleasure to turn the microphone over to an individual who has dedicated his entire professional life to protecting the people of Baltimore County, Chief Jim Johnson.
