Baltimore goes to war against drug-related crimes

The city of Baltimore is waging a war on drug crimes. In fact, officials are putting another 230 police officers on the streets to stem the tide of drug violence that has recently troubled the city.

According to city officials, there are a number of different illegal drugs for sale throughout the city — and dealers are getting aggressive about their territories. There have been several incidents of violence in the city that officials attribute to drug trafficking.

In addition to the extra officers out on patrol, the city is developing several other initiatives that are designed to make it harder for drug dealers to conduct their business. For example, the city plans to increase the number of streetlights all over the city. In addition, at least 100 new security cameras are being installed throughout the city to monitor street corners and other high-traffic areas where drug deals are known to happen.

Even with the new efforts, however, the city is falling short of its goals. The new influx of patrol officers only brings the total of officers on the streets to 650 — for now. The city eventually plans to have over 1,100 officers on patrol in order to tackle the city’s drug trade.

In addition, the city has discussed bringing back an “undisclosed surveillance” plan that’s designed to capture drug dealers in the act. For now, that measure isn’t being taken — in large part because of objections by city residents — but it probably can’t be ruled out in the future.

Baltimore’s war on drugs is serious. While city officials are focused on stopping the drug-related violence that has overtaken the city, anyone with connections to drug activity could be caught up in the city’s aggressive new stance. That means that low-level dealers who are simply selling a little to support their own habit will likely face the same police scrutiny — and prosecutorial attention — as large-scale traffickers.

If you’re charged with a drug crime, it’s important to have a criminal defense attorney on your side to protect your rights and look after your interests as quickly as possible.