BPD sees spike in case closures with help of surveillance plane

The Baltimore Police Department on Friday released a mid-term report of the controversial Aerial Investigation Research (AIR) Pilot Program.

DEPARTMENT RELEASED A REPORTON THE CONTROVERSIAL ARIALINVESTIGATION RESEARCH PILOTPROGRAM OR THE“SPY PLAN”.WHILE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ISHIGHLIGHTING THE PLANE AS AUSEFUL TOOL THE ACLU AND OTHERORGANIZATIONS ARE SUING THEDEPARTMENT IN A FEDERAL COURTFOR ITS USAGE.

WMAR2 NEWSEDDIE KADHIM IS LIVE AT BPDHEADQUARTERS TONIGHT.

TELL USWHAT THIS MID TERM REPORTFOUND.GOOD EVENING JAMIE AND KELLY.THE DATA LOOKS AT A PERIODFROM MAY TO THE END OF JULY.THE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEY USED81 PIECES OF EVIDENCE IN CASESRANGING FROM HOMICIDES ANDSHOOTINGS TO ARMED ROBBERIESAND CARJACKINGS.

OF THOSECASES, 21 PERCENT HAVE BEENCLOSED WITH AN ARREST COMPAREDTO 16 PERCENT THAT WENTWITHOUT SPY PLANE SUPPORT.DURING THE FIRST THREE MONTHSOF THE PROGRAM, SIX HOMICIDES,SIX SHOOTINGS, FOUR ARMEDROBBERIES AND A CAR-JACKINGCASE HAVE BEEN CLOSED.

ANOFFICIAL FINDING OF THE PLANESEFFECTIVENESS STILL HAS TO BEREVIEWED.

THE COMPANY THAT ISANALYZING THE DATA FOUND THATCASES WITH EVIDENCE FROM THEPROGRAM SAW AN INCREASE INPROVISIONAL CLOSURE RATESCOMPARED TO THOSE WITHOUT IT &BUT DIDNINFORMATION TO MAKE ADEFINITIVE CONCLUSION ONSOLVABILITY AND CLEARANCERATES.

THE DEPARTMENT SAYSITABOUT THE PROGRAM.

THE ACLUWAS JUST IN FEDERAL COURTABOUT THIS ISSUE SUING THEDEPARTMENT YESTERDAY.

I JUSTTALKED TO A SPOKESPERSON FORTHE ACLU WHO SAYS THESENUMBERS REALLY DONANYTHING AND EVEN IF THEY DIDTHE QUESTION IS ABOUTCONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTSEFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM.“This program is the most farreaching surveillance systemever deployed on American soiland a fundamental threat toour civil liberties both herein Baltimore and around thecountry” A DISTRICT LEVELJUDGE HAS GIVEN THE GO AHEAD,BUT THE CASE IS NOW IN THANDS OF THE 4TH CIRCUIT COURTOF APPEALS WHO HEARD ARGUMENTSYESTERDAY .

THERE WAS NOTIMELINE GIVEN ON WHEN ADECISION WILL BE MADE.

IHAVE MORE ON THE FINDINGS ANDMY CONVERSATION WITH THEATTORNEY FROM THE ACLU TONIGHTAT 11.

LIVE OUTSIDE OFBALTIMORE CITY POLICEHEADQUARTERSA 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL ISRECOVERING TONIGHT...AFTERBEING SERIOUSLY INJURED