Dixon calls for weekend court hours

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Frustrated by Baltimore’s rising crime rate, Mayor Sheila Dixon is calling for opening city courts on the weekends to speed prosecution of criminals.

“We can’t just have the courts running from 8 to 4 anymore; with the number of crimes in the city, we need a weekend court session,” she said.

Dixon said the court system needs reform to meet the needs of a city under siege.

“People are pointing the finger at us, but they need to look at the courts as well,” she said. “Are they being effective?”

Responding to criticism that her crime plan was in trouble, Dixon said she was just as angry about the recent rash of violence but that unlike her critics, she was seeking solutions.

“Crime is out of control,” she said. “I don’t like what I’m seeing, but I’m rolling up my sleeves and doing something about it, not just pointing fingers.”

Responding to Dixon’s comments, Margaret Burns, spokeswoman for city State’s Attorney Patrica Jessamy, said extended court hours was not feasible.

“It was studied very carefully in 2005, and it was concluded it was impossible to develop the resources to staff it, so it was tabled,” she said.

But Burns said the court system was strained.

“Everyone is stretched thin on the resources,” she said.

Dixon said she has been holding a series of meetings with the top commanders throughout the city to address the rise in homicides, though she would not give specifics on what was discussed.

“They were private meetings, but there are some suggestions that have come out of them which I’m looking into implementing,” she said.

Meanwhile, Michael Sarbanes, a candidate for City Council president, unveiled his own four-point crime plan Tuesday afternoon in West Baltimore.

Calling for an increase in neighborhood patrols and block-by-block cleanups, Sarbanes said the rhetorical battles over competing crime plans had gone too far.

“Crime is not a public relations issue,” he said. “We have to stop flailing around.”

Sarbanes said the department needed time to focus on patrolling neighborhoods and getting to know the community to turn the tide of violence.

“Purposeful enforcement means police officers working in and with the community ” he said.

Mayor joins fight vs. restrictive gun-tracing measure

Mayor Sheila Dixon has joined leaders of other cities to oppose a new law that would make it more difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace guns.

“The repeal of [the] Tiahrt [Amendment] will allow Baltimore to work with its jurisdictional neighbors to share trace data regarding the illegal guns being used to cause mayhem and death in this region,” Dixon said in a statement released Tuesday. “Mayors know firsthand the devastation caused by guns across this country.” — Stephen Janis

sjanis@baltimoreexaminer.com

How can extended court hours help reduce crime? Respond below in our comment section.

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