Leave Freddie Gray officers alone
I can see that there are those including The Sun and Police Commissioner Kevin Davis who are salivating at the prospect of placing the police officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray in jeopardy once again (“Commissioner Davis’ problem,” Oct. 3). It matters not that the officers were prematurely charged before a thorough investigation had been concluded or that it was similarly obvious that they would be acquitted. It is also quite obvious that this Mr. Davis is “owned” by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and did not have the intestinal fortitude to at least question the “quick call” when criminal charges were almost immediately placed.
Commissioner Davis did not immediately jump to proclaim his officers not guilty. That would have been premature and wrong. But what he could and should have done was to immediately question the wisdom of placing such serious charges without the benefit of a thorough investigation of the facts. He had a responsibility to his “troops” and he failed them and continues to fail them today. If he allows these officers to face jeopardy again in front of some kangaroo “civilian” trial, he will be remembered as a despicable excuse of a chief executive. And if he convenes a departmental trial board in those cases, he will be even worse.
I recall when Baltimore had a real police commissioner by the name of Donald D. Pomerleau. During his tenure, Baltimore was also blessed with a very powerful and often intimidating political leader, Mayor William Donald Schaefer. Commissioner Pomerleau was never owned, not even by Mayor Schaefer who was a much more forceful and intimidating leader than the current mayor. Commissioner Pomerleau is probably doing flip flops in his grave in Arlington, Va., as he sees what is unfolding here in Baltimore.
I would say this to the current commissioner: Judge Barry Williams gave you your out when he found those officers not guilty, and that should be more than enough. Convening any trial boards concerning those same officers is akin to giving in to the call for vengeance against them. If the commissioner does that, he should be ashamed.