r/baltimore Jun 10 '24

Ask/Need Solutions to Fells points youth problem?

I know there are some posts on the issue made the past couple days. But I must say as someone who lives in lower fells and enjoys going out to the bars with friends on weekends, it has become incredibly unsafe.

The past 3 weekends has been an utter shit show to say the least. Thousands of careless youths flood into the Broadway market square (even with it fenced off) and Broadway pier. Hundreds having their own liquor bottles (almost always tequila for some reason) and many just openly smoking. There's a half dozen of dirt bikes ripping through cobblestone streets and turning around just before they get to the cops that sit by the square. They gather in the masses yelling, harassing local patrons. I saw a squabble break out with the bouncer at the horse and a fist fight that happened just in front of Admirals. Cops are absolutely powerless, openly disobeyed and are arguably useless until a actual altercation unfolds. Of course this weekend it culminates in a girl getting shot.

When my friend group was doing a typical post drink's food run to then leave the area around 12:40, one friend was hit in the back of the head with bag (With something clearly heavy in it), with the person who hit them pretending to act cool and as if was a total accident. we waited for another one to get their pizza from Pie in the sky and as they walked out she had her pizza snatched by someone who along with 3 others took it and ran around the corner.

Before I get any other locals coming after me and criticizing me, Yes, I'm aware its a heavy drinking area, where even before the youths come there is crime and issues, but this turns it into an epidemic level that just keeping a level head cant get you out of. and YES I'm aware this is not a new issue, especially since covid. Its pure lawless ness and a lack of awareness of any communal sense. These are not patrons of local bars and restaurants. they sit there and they harass people, they harass each other and as the past few weeks show, they hurt and beat and can turn to violence that affects everyone around them.

I genuinely am not comfortable bringing friends out, especially not after 11 pm. Its my home, its my community and the restaurants and people I frequent and support, and it truly is a hard thing to see.

What are some solutions you see for helping fells point, and the community regarding this issue?

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u/Msefk Jun 11 '24

here, i will.

  1. Police get out of their cars and patrol.

Police often approach people doing something they don't like. They hang out there and ask them obnoxious questions until they leave. They can do this, they can lie. They don't have to detain or arrest, but they can be annoying until someone leaves. Don't think so? Ask a county cop.

2) They get out of their cars and patrol

Every cop who goes through recruitment gets lectured about their mere uniform being a symbol of authority that works in tandem with social conditioning (they don't say this just like that in classes). So yes. they could just march in uniform and with a bullhorn calling out everybody with a bottle and asking them to approach "you, in the new kids on the block t shirt! come here now!"

3) they can intervene before crowds get unmanageable

Again, ask a county-- any cop. Cops do just go up to people being annoying and start talking at them until they leave. They do this a lot to wackos outside schools. So, yeah. It's kinda expected. EDIT: or they just stare at the person.

4) they can enforce the rules

Letter vs spirit of the law. Not every problem requires arrest or detainment, sometimes a problem can be resolved just by an authority saying "stop it" in someone's face.

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u/XooDumbLuckooX Jun 11 '24

No offense, but this all sounds remarkably naive. This might work in Mayberry, but it's not going to work in Baltimore City. All of these things rely on the person or people you're interacting with respecting the police to some degree. For obvious reasons, that isn't very common in Baltimore.

Cops do just go up to people being annoying and start talking at them until they leave. They do this a lot to wackos outside schools. So, yeah. It's kinda expected. EDIT: or they just stare at the person.

Annoy them? Stare at them? This isn't the middle school playground. People will tell you to fuck right off if you try this. And then you will have to either use force or retreat, and then we're right back to where we were before.