Hey, I heard that Joel Fitzgerald might be a contender to lead the Baltimore Police Department. I don't know the guy. Not even by name. His bio is here, and a few things jump out at me....
police.fortworthtexas.gov/About/about-th… 1/
police.fortworthtexas.gov/About/about-th… 1/
For better or for worse, he's a PERF guy. So was Anthony Batts. You can hear my interview with the executive director of PERF here. qualitypolicing.com/episode-16-chu… 2/
Fitzgerald was a Philly cop for 17 years. He went to college at Villanova, got an MBA & PhD at Eastern University (local Christian/Baptist school I had never heard of). He's gone to many police executive programs (FBI, Northwestern, & Harvard Kennedy School). 3/
Since then he's been a police-chief job-jumper (as was Batts), and that worries me. 2009 chief of Missouri City, TX, 2013 Allentown, PA, 2015 Fort Worth TX. 2018 Baltimore? In two years can you do more than preach "reform," claim victory, and pat yourself on the back? 4/
Potentially yes, but I never saw Batt's record of success. And Batts sure left BPD (and the city) worst than he found it. But politically he preached all the right things, used the right language, talked about systemic problems, and become the darling of progressives. 5/
Here's what I found more worrisome. From 2011 to 2014 Fort Worth had under 50 murders each year. Fitzgerald arrived in 2015. A lot was happening, but murders increased to 58. In 2016 up to 66. 2017 saw 70 murders, a record high! (I can't find the 2018 to-date numbers). 6/
I've already read a progressive colleague of mine compliment Fitzgerald for the "change" he brought to the Fort Worth PD. "The kind of leadership that holds police accountable to community values." OK, I'm not against those things. But... 7/
I know nothing about Fitzgerald's leadership, talent, faith, or values. I don't know if he's a nice guy. I know nothing about him. I don't know if or how he change the Fort Worth Police Department. 8/
But if under one's leadership murders increase 46%? It's not enough to talk the progressive talk. (again, I don't know about violence this year in Fort Worth). If you don't think reducing violence is part of your job, you shouldn't be police chief. 9/
In what kind of crazy anti-policing politically world is a police chief lauded who takes over a city with steady violence and, in just 3 short years, sees murders rise to a record high? Who sees this and thinks, "He's the right man for Baltimore!"? Apparently Baltimore. 10/10
Correction: Murders are not even close to record high in Fort Worth. My mistake. I was looking back many years but not far enough. Fort Worth had 195(!) murders in 1991 and well over 100 for many years around then.
