Thursday morning, leaders of the Baltimore NAACP chapter gathered in front of the Baltimore Police headquarters to demand transparency in picking the new police commissioner.

Just a few weeks ago, Mayor Brandon Scott called a press conference to announce the departure of Police Commissioner Michael Harrison, and the immediate nomination of Richard Worley. However, the entire process has been shrouded in mystery.

Everyone from city council members to leaders of the Baltimore NAACP and especially residents are being shut out of details regarding the change. No one seems to know whether the commissioner was fired or resigned, and whether or not he is still being paid.

According to the leaders of the Baltimore NAACP, another huge red flag is the lack of transparency and community involvement in choosing a replacement. You can read the Baltimore Banner article HERE.

The relationship between the police and residents has clearly been strained in recent years, which is why transparency is so important. The mayor has refused to answer questions about this issue, and remains adamant that he has already made his choice. The question is why?

Residents must feel confident in the new police commissioner, but Mayor Scott’s secrecy only erodes that confidence.

So how can you make your voice heard? PEACE Chairman, Jovani Patterson and host of the Outsiders, Sean Simms explain HERE.

Government works for the people, and no one should ignore that fact. We know that residents deserve a voice. This organization, PEACE, was founded to hold elected officials accountable and ensure that residents could stay involved.

We will continue to demand accountability and hear from residents. We held another Power Up meeting last week where we heard from residents about the need for transparency and accountability.

If you are interested in hosting a meeting to organize and hear from residents in your community, please contact Jovani Patterson (jovani@peacebaltimore.com) or Yuripzy Morgan (yuripzy@peacebaltimore.com).