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The dash-cam video (above) from Philly FireFeed was front and center today (Monday) during a Baltimore City Police Department press conference (see video below of press conference). Until today, the video had been “unlisted” on YouTube with the link finding it’s way to police officials. Interim Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle made a decision to go public with the video as internal affairs investigators investigate the actions of a police officer.
When approached by the vehicle with two fire buffs and a Baltimore firefighter inside, the officer appeared to decline to get involved as they reported to her a man stashing and then retrieving a gun in bushes nearby at St. Paul and Lexington around 2:30 a.m. on July 6. The officer is heard saying that the location of the incident is not her district. The buffs and firefighter had also called 911.
Commissioner Tuggle called the incident an “embarrassment” and “totally unacceptable”.
Justin George, The Baltimore Sun:
“Hey can you help me out?” the firefighter said to the first officer he saw. “There’s a guy who just dumped a gun. I just called it in twice. It took them forever to respond. It’s right there at St. Paul and Lexington.”
“This isn’t my district,” the officer says.The gun sighting occurred in police’s Central District. It’s not known what district the officer who failed to respond was from or what she was doing.
“You wear this uniform and this badge,” Tuggle said at the news conference. “It says Baltimore City and you have the responsibility to serve any place in the city.”
The fire buff who witnessed the incident said he doesn’t want to see the officer who failed to respond fired. He said he understands police are often short-staffed and too busy.
