Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III has taken down the campaign signs in his front lawn that prompted accusations of impropriety from the city's top prosecutor, In a statement sent from his private email account, he called the situation "distracting" from the fight against crime. The signs were taken down Monday.
"The Baltimore Police Department's obligation is to prevent crime and apprehend criminals. We must constantly work to remain focused on public safety in our City. Current events distract from that core mission. My responsibility, as Police Commissioner, is first and foremost to the people I serve and I can not allow my focus to be shifted from that. Therefore, I will have no further comment on this issue."
The Sun reported last week that Bealefeld had taken an unprecedented step last week by placing two signs for defense attorney Gregg Bernstein in the yard of his Southwest Baltimore home and releasing a statement that said police needed a "true partner" in the state's attorney's office. It's generally frowned upon for police chiefs to express political support, particularly in a race for a position that is an arm's-length partner of police. But many have praised Bealefeld for stepping out on an issue he knows better than just about anybody else. In an unscientific poll, 86 percent of Sun readers supported Bealefeld.
The his support for Bernstein angered City State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy, who on Tuesday called a news conference asking for an independent investigation of whether Bealefeld was soliciting support for Bernstein on the job and questioned his integrity. Jessamy said her concern was not over the signs - which she maintained were "inappropriate" - but specifics about an interaction between Bealefeld and one of her supporters. She said settling the discrepancies was a matter of "truth and credibility."
Bealefeld said such a probe was unnecessary, and it was not clear what Jessamy's next move will be. The 15-year incumbent gave him a deadline of 48 hours to respond.
The Bernstein campaign, meanwhile, claims that it had to reorder signs due an "overwhelming response" from media coverage. They declined to specify how many signs had been distributed.