Baltimore Neighborhoods Look to Private Security

WBFF-TV ^ | August 15 2013

[george76]

As the number of street crimes committed in Baltimore City escalates, so does the level of fear. This has caused communities to look beyond the police for protection.

In Baltimore City there are four special tax districts where residents pay more to make their neighborhoods safer. Charles Village is one of them and has the lowest surtax of the four. It was formed in the mid-1990s as a way for the community to provide supplemental security and sanitation services to what the city was already providing. The surtax charged to homeowners has never been altered.

Baltimore’s Little Italy community is one of the latest to seek to hire its own private security force, following the recent beating and robbery caught on a private security camera.

[cripplecreek]

Its working well in some areas of Detroit.

[Moonman62]

In Baltimore City there are four special tax districts where residents pay more to make their neighborhoods safer.

Isn't that what the mafia calls protection money?

[JRandomFreeper]

There's a big difference. Government has snappy uniforms. Other than that, yeah, pretty much the same.

/johnny

[cripplecreek]

The big difference is that the private cops don’t get paid to harass the locals. At least that’s how it seems to work where my sister lives.

[lightman]

I hear that George Zimmerman is available for hire....

[kearnyirish2]

“The big difference is that the private cops don’t get paid to harass the locals. At least that’s how it seems to work where my sister lives.”

That makes sense; here in NJ our local police are simply revenue generators, doing little to “serve & protect”. Private security has no reason to do that.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Paging Paul Kersey . . .

Maryland "Freak State" PING!

[Bringbackthedraft]

Growing up in Brooklyn I always felt my neighborhood had a private security force. I don’t know if Bensonhurst has changed, I’ve left the area about 50 years ago.

[VanShuyten]

“Isn’t that what the mafia calls protection money?”

Eh..? What you say da Mafia? Heres in lil Italia, dere’s no Mafia. We’s just protectin our own. I means, since Nancy Pelosi an her dad left, tings has bin bad, but dis private security force, dat could make tings OK agin. Ya know whad I mean?

[mosesdapoet]

Just like the area Zimmerman lived in ?

[Rummyfan]

Charles Village is one of them and has the lowest surtax of the four. It was formed in the mid-1990s as a way for the community to provide supplemental security and sanitation services to what the city was already providing. The surtax charged to homeowners has never been altered.

Charles Village is just south of the Homewood campus of Johns Hopkins University.

Baltimore’s Little Italy community is one of the latest to seek to hire its own private security force, following the recent beating and robbery caught on a private security camera.

Little Italy is directly adjacent to the Inner Harbor area, nice dining, but one half mile further east or three blocks north, and you're in the projects.