Rushern Baker Watch

Democrats eye Rushern L. Baker III for No. 2 on ticket�-�Metropolitan�-�The Washington Times, America's Newspaper

2005-10-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

Democrats eye blacks for No. 2 on ticket�-�Metropolitan�-�The Washington Times, America's Newspaper: "The Washington Times
www.washingtontimes.com

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Democrats eye blacks for No. 2 on ticket
By S.A. Miller
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published October 24, 2005

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Maryland Democratic leaders say their gubernatorial hopefuls are considering black running mates almost exclusively to shore up minority support after Republicans broke the color barrier to statewide office with the election of Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele.
"The Democratic leadership is very concerned about African-American males being on the top of that ticket in some way, shape or form," said Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens, a Democrat. "There is real, genuine pressure that it is time for the Democratic Party to do something on that front."
The two leading Democratic candidates for governor, Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan and Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, are expected to heed the advice -- and Democrats are speculating about lieutenant governor picks.
Democrats say the most likely running mates for Mr. Duncan and Mr. O'Malley are current and former leaders from Prince George's County and Baltimore, two party strongholds with large black constituencies.
Prince George's Democrats on the list are former County Executive Wayne K. Curry, former Delegate Rushern L. Baker III, Delegate Anthony G. Brown, State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey and County Executive Jack B. Johnson.
In Baltimore, possible black running mates include state Sen. Lisa A. Gladden, City Council members Kenneth N. Harris Sr. and Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr., State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy and state Sen. Verna L. Jones.
For Mr. Duncan and Mr. O'Malley, the selection will reflect their strategy for the primary contest, with Mr. Duncan likely to pick a running mate from the mayor's city and Mr. O'Malley probably teaming up with someone from suburban Washington.
For the party, however, the move is more important for healing black voters' resentment that it took Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., a Republican, to first tap a black running mate -- in 2002 -- and force Democrats to follow suit.
The Democratic Party has long controlled state politics and relied on a large bloc of loyal black Democrats to deliver elections, but the party has never offered a black candidate on a statewide ticket.
"That's an issue that has been hard for African-Americans to swallow," said Ike Leggett, Democratic candidate for Montgomery County executive and former Maryland Democratic Party chairman.
In 2002, Mr. Leggett was considered a front-runner for Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's pick for her No. 2 in the contest with Mr. Ehrlich. However, Mrs. Townsend tapped retired Adm. Charles R. Larson, a white, middle-aged Republican who switched parties for the race.
"One could make the argument that [Democrats] took the African-American vote for granted," Mr. Leggett said. "If there is no African-American in a significant position for the party this time, it will certainly have a negative impact [for Democrats] in the general election."
Mr. Duncan, who officially announced his run Thursday, has not started looking for a running mate but "believes strongly that there should be diversity on the ticket," said campaign manager Scott B. Arceneaux.
He said Mr. Duncan was "not under any pressure at all" to pick a black running mate.
Mr. O'Malley has not publicly committed to choosing a minority running mate, but O'Malley campaign manager Jonathan A. Epstein has said the mayor is cognizant of Maryland's many "talented" black politicians who would be an asset to the ticket.
However, Mr. Steele did more than enhance the Republican ticket in 2002. He transformed himself from a relative unknown to a rising star in the national Republican Party.
Republicans consider Mr. Steele their most promising candidate for the seat of retiring Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes, Maryland Democrat.
Democrats vying for the open seat are Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin, political activist A. Robert Kaufman, American University professor Alan Lichtman, former Congress member Kweisi Mfume and forensic psychiatrist Lise Van Susteren.
Mr. Steele's rise also has transformed the expectations of some black Democrats, which could complicate Mr. Duncan's and Mr. O'Malley's choice. Some of the black Democratic leaders with the highest profiles -- including Mr. Ivey, Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Jessamy -- may have their sights set on more prestigious jobs, such as attorney general or governor."

Baker running early, hard - and uphill

2005-09-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

"Baker running early, hard - and uphill
09/01/05
By Pete Pichaske
Laurel Leader.com

If this is Thursday, Rushern Baker is probably campaigning for Prince George's County executive.

Or if it's Friday. Or Saturday. Or Sunday or Monday or just about any day of the week, for that matter.

Twelve months before the 2006 primary election and 14 months before the general, the former state delegate from Cheverly, who finished fourth in a field of five county-executive candidates in the 2002 Democratic primary, is running again for the county's top elected position.

And he's doing it with a passion and zeal that make him impossible to ignore - and with endless, pointed attacks on the incumbent, fellow Democrat Jack Johnson.

In a recent news release, for example, Baker took aim at what he called Johnson's chief failure: controlling crime in Prince George's County.

"Johnson has been focused on public relations rather than public safety," he said in a statement last month, the day after the number of county murders for the year topped 100. "Johnson has pointed fingers everywhere except where it belongs: his own administration. ... We have worked too hard for too long to let Johnson undo our progress in this county."

In an interview, Baker made no apologies for his attacks.

"Nothing personal against Jack, but he's not getting the job done," Baker said. "We're going to be very aggressive about educating the public about that. We're going to hold him accountable for his failures."

Johnson spokesman James Keary dismissed Baker's campaign as "negative" and his arguments "based on fabrications."

"He has not offered one solution to any issue," Keary said. "All he does is criticize, and it's easy to criticize."

Keary added, "The county executive has always said that he welcomes any opposition. He will stand on his record."

Uphill battle

Fellow politicians agree on a few things about Baker: that he is bright, able and driven to public service; that his nascent campaign for county executive (Baker has not yet formally declared, although he said he will soon) is likely to be the only substantive challenge Johnson faces; and, that the campaign will be based on wooing voters dissatisfied with the incumbent, especially in the areas of crime and education.

They also agree that Baker faces a difficult task.

"Jack's going to be tough to beat because he's the incumbent and he's got so much money," said Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey, who has been rumored to be interested in the job himself but has ruled out running next year. "It's going to be a challenge. Rushern's got an uphill climb."

...State Sen. Paul Pinsky, a University Park Democrat who supported Baker's 2002 campaign, agreed Baker faces an uphill climb, calling Johnson "a formidable opponent."

But he noted that Baker has been campaigning for executive for a year already and is unlikely to slow down.

"The thing about Rushern is, he really wants to be a public servant," Pinsky said. "He really feels guided to serve others, and I think that's very valiant."

State Del. Brian Moe of Laurel, who supported Jim Estepp for county executive in 2002, called Baker "a very talented individual, very bright," but agreed he faces a tough battle.

"The county executive has his problems; every county executive has his problems," Moe said. "But I think Rushern ought to keep all his irons in the fire before he jumps in what would certainly be an uphill battle."

Observers also say that while Baker might benefit from concerns about crime in Prince George's, especially the murder rate, Johnson, as the incumbent, will benefit from a healthy local and national economy, which keeps dissatisfaction down.

Baker undaunted

Baker said that in the past year he has received numerous calls from county residents urging him into the campaign. He spent time talking to individuals and groups, he said, to determine if Johnson was vulnerable.

"There is an interest in changing leadership in Prince George's County," Baker said.

He agreed that Johnson has a big edge in name recognition, especially in the south county, and said his early campaigning is designed to help overcome that disadvantage.

"Jack's got very high name recognition, but that doesn't mean people don't want a change," Baker added.

Born in Valdosta, Ga., the son of a career military man, Baker moved to the Washington area in the 1980s to attend Howard University and, later, Howard University Law School. Beginning in 1994, he served two terms in the House of Delegates, including four years as the county's House delegation chairman.

As chairman, he was perhaps best known for leading the fight to revamp the Prince George's Board of Education during the troubled term of former schools Superintendent Iris Metts.

Baker admits his leadership in temporarily replacing an elected board with an appointed board earned him some enemies. But he said many give him high marks for tackling a difficult problem.

"The system had imploded," he said.

Besides giving him leadership experience, Baker said, his term as delegation chairman made him familiar with the entire county, not just the Cheverly area he represented.

Still, that did him little good in 2002, when he spurned the chance to be elected to the state Senate in a new district - drawn with him in mind - in favor of running for executive.

Little known outside his district, Baker captured only 12.5 percent of the vote. Johnson, who had spent the previous eight years in the county's high-profile State's Attorney's Office, won the primary with 37 percent and went on to handily beat his GOP opponent in the general election.

Baker now works as executive director for the Community Teachers Institute, a non-profit agency that works to recruit more minority teachers in the Washington area.

It is a position that leaves Baker with time and energy for his other job: running for county executive.

On the campaign trail

Baker has been in Laurel twice during the past month. He was at Famous Dave's restaurant in early August when U.S. Rep. Ben Cardin spoke to the Greater Laurel Beltsville Democratic Club. More recently, he was at the golf course community of Patuxent Greens on a warm weekday evening, knocking on doors and handing out campaign literature.

"Hi, I'm Rushern Baker and I'm running for county executive," he tells one homeowner who answers the door.

When the homeowner, somewhat mystified, asks if this is for next year's election, Baker tells him it is. "We want to get started early," he says.

In his standard pitch, Baker argues that Prince George's, under Johnson, leads the state in six major crime categories: rape, robbery, arson, larceny, carjacking and car theft. He said his own teenage son was robbed at gunpoint last year at a Metrorail station.

"He (Johnson) has not only dropped the ball on fighting crime, he's not even there - he's missing in action," Baker said. "It's his greatest
fault."

To deal with rising crime, Baker recommends beefing up the force with retired officers and hiring more civilians to do jobs now done by uniformed officers, thus putting those officers back on the street.

Johnson's rebuttal

Johnson spokesman Keary countered that the county executive already is hiring civilians for the Police Department, as well as hiring more officers. Keary ridiculed as unrealistic the idea of hiring retired officers.

He also argued that crime began to rise in the county in 1999, before Johnson took office, and that Johnson has raised spending on public safety every year since he became executive.

Johnson, in a speech last month to new police recruits, conceded that murders had climbed dramatically during the first four months of this year. But he said the rate has slowed since then, which he said shows that his efforts at reducing crime are working.

"It takes a long, hard effort and sustained determination to reduce crime," Johnson said. "We will stay the course and we are confident that the numbers will continue to go down."

Whether Baker can carry public concern about crime all the way to the county executive's office in Upper Marlboro remains to be seen, but he shows no sign of giving up the fight.

"Right now, there's a low point in the county that needs to be filled in terms of public safety, and Rushern sees that," Moe said. "Will that be an in for him? I don't know."

E-mail Pete Pichaske at Pete Pichaske@patuxent.com"

Laurel Leader: Baker running early, hard - and uphill

2005-09-01T19:19:00.000-07:00

Laurel Leader: "Baker running early, hard - and uphill

09/01/05
By Pete Pichaske
Rushern Baker, left, tells Patuxent Greens resident Wes Tracy why he is qualified to be Prince George's County executive. Staff Photo By Andrew Henderson.
... If this is Thursday, Rushern Baker is probably campaigning for Prince George's County executive.

Or if it's Friday. Or Saturday. Or Sunday or Monday or just about any day of the week, for that matter.

Twelve months before the 2006 primary election and 14 months before the general, the former state delegate from Cheverly, who finished fourth in a field of five county-executive candidates in the 2002 Democratic primary, is running again for the county's top elected position.

And he's doing it with a passion and zeal that make him impossible to ignore - and with endless, pointed attacks on the incumbent, fellow Democrat Jack Johnson.

In a recent news release, for example, Baker took aim at what he called Johnson's chief failure: controlling crime in Prince George's County.

"Johnson has been focused on public relations rather than public safety," he said in a statement last month, the day after the number of county murders for the year topped 100. "JohnsRushern Baker
on has pointed fingers everywhere except where it belongs: his own administration. ... We have worked too hard for too long to let Johnson undo our progress in this county."

In an interview, Baker made no apologies for his attacks.

"Nothing personal against Jack, but he's not getting the job done," Baker said. "We're going to be very aggressive about educating the public about that. We're going to hold him accountable for his failures."

Johnson spokesman James Keary dismissed Baker's campaign as "negative" and his arguments "based on fabrications."

"He has not offered one solution to any issue," Keary said. "All he does is criticize, and it's easy to criticize."

Keary added, "The county executive has always said that he welcomes any opposition. He will stand on his record."

Uphill battle

Fellow politicians agree on a few things about Baker: that he is bright, able and driven to public service; that his nascent campaign for county executive (Baker has not yet formally declared, although he said he will soon) is likely to be the only substantive challenge Johnson faces; and, that the campaign will be based on wooing voters dissatisfied with the incumbent, especially in the areas of crime and education.

They also agree that Baker faces a difficult task.

"Jack's going to be tough to beat because he's the incumbent and he's got so much money," said Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey, who has been rumored to be interested in the job himself but has ruled out running next year. "It's going to be a challenge. Rushern's got an uphill climb."

According to recent campaign finance reports, Johnson has some $700,000 already in his campaign warchest, while Baker has about $100,000, according to campaign chairman Chris Lawson. Baker has wiped out a previous campaign debt of about $100,000, said another aide.

State Sen. Paul Pinsky, a University Park Democrat who supported Baker's 2002 campaign, agreed Baker faces an uphill climb, calling Johnson "a formidable opponent."

But he noted that Baker has been campaigning for executive for a year already and is unlikely to slow down.

"The thing about Rushern is, he really wants to be a public servant," Pinsky said. "He really feels guided to serve others, and I think that's very valiant."

State Del. Brian Moe of Laurel, who supported Jim Estepp for county executive in 2002, called Baker "a very talented individual, very bright," but agreed he faces a tough battle.

"The county executive has his problems; every county executive has his problems," Moe said. "But I think Rushern ought to keep all his irons in the fire before he jumps in what would certainly be an uphill battle."

Observers also say that while Baker might benefit from concerns about crime in Prince George's, especially the murder rate, Johnson, as the incumbent, will benefit from a healthy local and national economy, which keeps dissatisfaction down.

Baker undaunted

Baker said that in the past year he has received numerous calls from county residents urging him into the campaign. He spent time talking to individuals and groups, he said, to determine if Johnson was vulnerable.

"There is an interest in changing leadership in Prince George's County," Baker said.

He agreed that Johnson has a big edge in name recognition, especially in the south county, and said his early campaigning is designed to help overcome that disadvantage.

"Jack's got very high name recognition, but that doesn't mean people don't want a change," Baker added.

Born in Valdosta, Ga., the son of a career military man, Baker moved to the Washington area in the 1980s to attend Howard University and, later, Howard University Law School. Beginning in 1994, he served two terms in the House of Delegates, including four years as the county's House delegation chairman.

As chairman, he was perhaps best known for leading the fight to revamp the Prince George's Board of Education during the troubled term of former schools Superintendent Iris Metts.

Baker admits his leadership in temporarily replacing an elected board with an appointed board earned him some enemies. But he said many give him high marks for tackling a difficult problem.

"The system had imploded," he said.

Besides giving him leadership experience, Baker said, his term as delegation chairman made him familiar with the entire county, not just the Cheverly area he represented.

Still, that did him little good in 2002, when he spurned the chance to be elected to the state Senate in a new district - drawn with him in mind - in favor of running for executive.

Little known outside his district, Baker captured only 12.5 percent of the vote. Johnson, who had spent the previous eight years in the county's high-profile State's Attorney's Office, won the primary with 37 percent and went on to handily beat his GOP opponent in the general election.

Baker now works as executive director for the Community Teachers Institute, a non-profit agency that works to recruit more minority teachers in the Washington area.

It is a position that leaves Baker with time and energy for his other job: running for county executive.

On the campaign trail

Baker has been in Laurel twice during the past month. He was at Famous Dave's restaurant in early August when U.S. Rep. Ben Cardin spoke to the Greater Laurel Beltsville Democratic Club. More recently, he was at the golf course community of Patuxent Greens on a warm weekday evening, knocking on doors and handing out campaign literature.

"Hi, I'm Rushern Baker and I'm running for county executive," he tells one homeowner who answers the door.

When the homeowner, somewhat mystified, asks if this is for next year's election, Baker tells him it is. "We want to get started early," he says.

In his standard pitch, Baker argues that Prince George's, under Johnson, leads the state in six major crime categories: rape, robbery, arson, larceny, carjacking and car theft. He said his own teenage son was robbed at gunpoint last year at a Metrorail station.

"He (Johnson) has not only dropped the ball on fighting crime, he's not even there - he's missing in action," Baker said. "It's his greatest fault."

To deal with rising crime, Baker recommends beefing up the force with retired officers and hiring more civilians to do jobs now done by uniformed officers, thus putting those officers back on the street.

Johnson's rebuttal

Johnson spokesman Keary countered that the county executive already is hiring civilians for the Police Department, as well as hiring more officers. Keary ridiculed as unrealistic the idea of hiring retired officers.

He also argued that crime began to rise in the county in 1999, before Johnson took office, and that Johnson has raised spending on public safety every year since he became executive.

Johnson, in a speech last month to new police recruits, conceded that murders had climbed dramatically during the first four months of this year. But he said the rate has slowed since then, which he said shows that his efforts at reducing crime are working.

"It takes a long, hard effort and sustained determination to reduce crime," Johnson said. "We will stay the course and we are confident that the numbers will continue to go down."

Whether Baker can carry public concern about crime all the way to the county executive's office in Upper Marlboro remains to be seen, but he shows no sign of giving up the fight.

"Right now, there's a low point in the county that needs to be filled in terms of public safety, and Rushern sees that," Moe said. "Will that be an in for him? I don't know."

E-mail Pete Pichaske at Pete Pichaske@patuxent.com"

Johnson Panics and Tries to Strong Arm PG Senate Delegation

2005-08-17T20:59:00.000-07:00

Johnson talks turkey with Dems:

Jack Johnson is running scared. Not surprising from a man too scared to drive himself to KFC.

"Johnson talks turkey with Dems

Aug. 18, 2005
County Executive Jack B. Johnson recently held a meeting with members of the state senate delegation. His message: "If anyone ran the slate with Rushern [Baker], he would run someone against him," a source in county government told the Gazette.

Baker, a former state delegate, announced an exploratory committee for the county's top job in June.

Sen. John A. Gianetti, Jr. (D-Dist. 21) of Laurel said Johnson never made any threats.

"What he said was, 'We're going to stick together as Democrats, put aside our differences and run as a team." Johnson said the incumbents are welcome to stay on the team, Gianetti said.

All of the county's state senators were present though some left early, according to Gianetti.

"The basic theme was Democratic party unity," said John Erzen, a Johnson spokesman.

Baker said three or four people, including one person who was in the room, described a more ominous tone to him.

Anytime you have to go strong arm politicians, it shows you're scared," Baker said chuckling."

Prince George's struggles with crime spike - baltimoresun.com

2005-07-31T04:24:00.000-07:00

Prince George's struggles with crime spike - baltimoresun.com: "As of Friday, county police were investigating 97 homicides, compared with 80 at this time last year. It's a tally that rivals Washington's, though it's still far below Baltimore's body count of 163.

County police statistics show that robberies have more than doubled since this time last year, rape is up 20 percent and attempted rape is up 70 percent.

Carjackings have increased from about 215 in the first six months of last year to more than 300 so far this year.

And Prince George's County leads the state - and is among the highest in the nation - in vehicle theft.

"Prince George's County - we have money. We're highly educated. We're not losing population. These are not problems that we should be having," says Rushern L. Baker III, a former delegate who says he'll challenge County Executive Jack B. Johnson in the 2006 Democratic primary."

The Failure of Jack Johnson - Pr. George's Crime, Prices Send Residents to Charles County

2005-07-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

Pr. George's Crime, Prices Send Residents to Charles: "Pr. George's Crime, Prices Send Residents to Charles

By Ann E. Marimow
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 21, 2005; Page A01

Lawrence Bryant was fed up with the skid marks on Tunic Avenue from drivers using his Capitol Heights street as a speedway. His wife, Chicquita, gave up when the chrome rims were lifted from the Cadillac parked in the driveway of their bungalow.

Seven miles away in Temple Hills, Michelle Jiggetts was loyal to the county that taught her daughter to ice skate, and excited for the arrival of upscale shopping at a planned waterfront complex. She and her husband, Kevin, became discouraged only after losing 10 house bidding wars.

Friends Wayne Grimes, left, and Ken Arnold, right, help Kevin Jiggetts, behind Grimes, move into his family's new home in Waldorf. The Jiggettses moved from Prince George's because of rising real estate prices. (By Susan Biddle -- The Washington Post)
The Bryants and the Jiggettses had different motivations for leaving Prince George's County -- in one case increasing crime, in the other rising home prices -- but they had the same destination: Charles County.

The couples, both black, represent thousands of Prince George's residents moving across the county's southern border and fueling the once-rural area's transformation into Southern Maryland's most diverse suburb.

Between 2000 and 2003, more people from Prince George's moved into Charles than from any other state or neighboring county. Like other outer suburbs, such as Frederick and Calvert, the growth in Charles is being driven by residents moving from other parts of the state.

In Charles, 81 percent of what demographers call "net migration" -- the term for people moving in, minus people moving out -- came from Prince George's, according to an analysis of federal tax returns by the Maryland Department of Planning.

During the same period, the black population in Charles increased 22 percent, and African Americans now account for 30 percent of county residents, compared with 18 percent in 1990, according to 2003 Census Bureau estimates.

Although the Internal Revenue Service figures do not provide a complete picture of the migration to Charles -- first-time filers, for instance, are not included -- they are a "good indicator of the magnitude and origin and destination of the movement," said Mark Goldstein, a planning department economist.

Such newcomers as the Bryants and the Jiggettses are pulled south for a range of reasons, from the relatively low crime rate and good reputation of the public schools to the stock of new, relatively inexpensive homes.

'You Could Be at Home Here'

To Lawrence Bryant, Tunic Avenue in Capitol Heights is cursing, fighting, drinking and screeching tires. He tried unsuccessfully to petition the mayor's office to install speed bumps.

On his first visit back to the street he left last August, Bryant pointed to the jungle gym and bright yellow slide in the park one-half block from his old house. He said he never let his children play there, not once in 10 years.

"No one hangs out here but adults," Bryant said, shaking his head, then letting out a laugh, not because he thinks it's funny, but because he can get in his car and leave.

The stocky 35-year-old's nickname is "Big L," but he said, "From my house to my driveway was as far as I was willing to walk."

Frustrated, Bryant turned to co-workers for advice. During contract jobs at the Pentagon and State Department, where he supervises the installation of telecommunications equipment, they suggested Virginia, Baltimore County and Charles. He looked at one four-bedroom home in Fairfax County. Half a million dollars was too much.

Friends Wayne Grimes, left, and Ken Arnold, right, help Kevin Jiggetts, behind Grimes, move into his family's new home in Waldorf. The Jiggettses moved from Prince George's because of rising real estate prices. (By Susan Biddle -- The Washington Post)
The Bryants had shopped and dined in Waldorf's vast strip malls. When their real estate agent showed them a four-bedroom, split-level, brick-front house nearby for $279,000, they were sold.

"When I came out here, the taste of the air was different. That may sound corny, but you just knew you could be at home here," he said.

"We'd come from so much confusion and uproar, and I wanted to be somewhere where my kids could be at peace."

In summers past, the Bryant family escaped to airy, quiet rental cottages in North Carolina with screened porches for crab feasts so the smell didn't linger. This summer, Bryant is hosting crab dinners from his own porch. The loudest noise, he said with a smile, is the neighbor's son taking batting practice.

Instead of hustling from the driveway to the front door, Chicquita and Lawrence walk miles around the White Oak Village neighborhood for exercise. He lets his eldest son take off on a bike and his 16-year-old daughter practice driving on the road leading into the subdivision.

Bryant can measure the difference in dollars and police statistics.

During the 12-month period that ended in May, the Prince George's County Police Department reported 22 homicides and 1,736 stolen cars in Bryant's old Zip code. The Charles County Sheriff's Office reported one homicide and 163 stolen vehicles in Bryant's new neighborhood for the same period.

Bryant's car insurance payments dropped from roughly $450 a month in Prince George's to $250. Homeowner's insurance on the 900-square-foot bungalow he sold for $165,000 was $2,000 a year. Twenty miles south, Bryant pays $1,200 for a home that is twice the size.

As much as the Bryants were eager to leave Prince George's, Michelle Jiggetts was determined to stay. Even with boxes lining the hallways of her townhouse this month, she seemed reluctant.

A health care company manager and community college instructor, Jiggetts had visions of shopping at Prince George's County's planned National Harbor development instead of driving to Tysons Corner. Her 8-year-old daughter Courtney is thriving in county-run summer camps for ice skating, basketball and soccer and at a Montessori school in Temple Hills.

When Michelle and Kevin married in 1995, the two-bedroom townhouse with a finished basement was spacious. Now there are ice skates, guinea pigs and bicycles in what Michelle calls "Courtney's house."

In a familiar house-hunting tale, the longer the Jiggettses looked for more space in Prince George's, the more the prices increased. Last October, they stretched to bid $315,000. By January, they were offering $430,000 and still no house.

Friends Wayne Grimes, left, and Ken Arnold, right, help Kevin Jiggetts, behind Grimes, move into his family's new home in Waldorf. The Jiggettses moved from Prince George's because of rising real estate prices. (By Susan Biddle -- The Washington Post)
After 10 heartbreaking bids, the kind that still sting, the Jiggettses were drawn to the blank canvas of a brand-new home. Instead of the Jiggettses begging to pay the seller's closing costs in Prince George's, the builders in Charles from Patriot Homes offered to pay thousands of dollars in closing costs.

"You're not competing against anyone," said Kevin Jiggetts, 42. "Instead, it's 'Pick a lot, pick a style.' "

Like a proud father, he pulled out a photo album that chronicles the birth of their $388,000 home in the Sheffield neighborhood. Four bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, a two-car garage, plus a little extra for Corian countertops, hardwood floors and a hot tub in the master bathroom. Similar homes were selling for $50,000 more in Prince George's and $75,000 more in Howard, according to the Jiggettses' research.

As the Jiggettses prepared to move in last week, they had conflicting emotions. Michelle, 41, worried about the long, congested commute from Waldorf to Washington. Friends and family will be farther away in Fort Washington and Upper Marlboro.

Kevin Jiggetts, an actor, was more upbeat. He is excited about raising Courtney in a more diverse neighborhood.

"Don't get me wrong, I love black people, but I love other people, too," he said.

The Jiggettses have heard about racial tensions in predominantly white Charles, especially after last December's much-publicized arson in the Hunters Brooke development.

One of the men who pleaded guilty said he targeted the homes because they were bought by African Americans, although no one has been charged with a hate crime and prosecutors say there could have been several motives.

"We're moving to a county that is moving in a different direction," Kevin said. "It's our hope that Charles County is becoming more educated in terms of race relations."

"Hopefully," Michelle interjected.

Her concern is for Courtney. "If she is in a school with predominantly white students, I hope she isn't treated differently, because I won't tolerate that."

Michelle has not yet investigated Charles County schools, which are now majority-minority, with African-Americans accounting for 43 percent of the population, and have a district committee dedicated to minority achievement.

Even so, for the first year, at least, Michelle plans to drive Courtney back to her Temple Hills school.

"There are enough changes going on.""

Rushern L. Baker III Making A Difference in Our Schools - The Washington Times, America's Newspaper

2005-07-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

Teachers take culture lessons�-�Metropolitan�-�The Washington Times, America's Newspaper: "Teachers take culture lessons
By Keyonna Summersand Ayla Kremen
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
July 21, 2005

Arletha McSwain was shocked when her high school guidance counselor suggested that she enroll in trade school because her ACT score indicated that she was not college material.
Looking back, she said she realizes the counselor had not taken the time to understand her capabilities.
"Had my parents not been educators and believers in us doing what we wanted to, I may have listened to" the guidance counselor, said Ms. McSwain, who is now department chairwoman of early childhood and elementary education at Norfolk State University.
Such experiences are fuel for the Summer Institute for Urban Educators, a weeklong intensive training program that teaches educators how to bond with their students and their families so they can foster "cultural connectivity" and push the students to succeed, program officials said.
"We're giving [the teachers] the ability to reach kids that are hard to reach. The ultimate goal is to make kids life-long learners," said Rushern L. Baker III, executive director of the Community Teachers Institute (CTI), which hosted the program.
The program, held at the University of Maryland at College Park, concludes today. More than a dozen local educators are taking part in the program.
The program's sessions focused on race, urban literacy and integration of hip-hop and language into the urban curriculum.
Some students, especially minorities in urban settings, are misunderstood because their teachers cannot identify with their ethnic or generational cultures. As a result, the students might lose interest in school or act out, program officials said.
The most effective teachers immerse themselves in their students' cultures so they can become part of the children's dynamic and get to know the students' families on a personal level, said Ms. McSwain, who was one of the presenters.
One seminar stressed that one has to be comfortable with their own ethnicity in order to embrace that of others, she said.
"This is a specific, strategic process. It's not just about liking everybody. It's about knowing what works with this child, this ethnicity and this disability," Ms. McSwain said. "When a teacher is culturally connected, there is nothing that a child won't do for that teacher."
More than half the students in urban schools do not graduate from high school, and they are three times more likely to be unemployed and 10 times more likely to be incarcerated than their counterparts in the suburbs, program officials said.

One seminar focused on creating successful literacy environments in school. The region's urban literacy programs need much improvement, said Jennifer Turner, assistant professor of education at the University of Maryland.
"It's really distressing in terms of low rates of literacy, particularly for African-American kids," Miss Turner said. "So often the teaching conditions of urban schools in urban communities can make them feel they can't make a difference."
By the end, the seminars inspired local teachers to reach out and develop a bond with their students this fall.
"What I learned is that students want meaningful connections between the subject matter and the work," said Carol Fraser, an 11th- and 12th-grade teacher at Northwestern High School in Prince George's County. "They want it to connect to their lives. They want it to be realistic.""

Rushern Baker: "Juneteenth is something very important to us."

2005-07-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

County celebrates another Juneteenth anniversary: "County celebrates another Juneteenth anniversary

by Alan King
Staff Writer
June 23, 2005
The Maryland Juneteenth Committee held its first countywide Juneteenth celebration in Prince George's on Saturday. The event, celebrating the end of slavery in the United States, was held at the Brooke Road Recreation Center in Capitol Heights.

The emancipation proclamation to free African-American slaves was made on June 19, 1865, but it was not until two years later that all the slaves were freed.

"I think it is a great idea to expand the idea of Black history beyond the traditional month," Congressman Albert Wynn (D-Dist. 4) of Mitchellville told The Gazette, in an interview a day before the event.

"[It's also important] to talk about events in history at the time they are actually commemorated and to broaden the discussion of the role of African Americans in history," he said.

This 140th anniversary event featured a Verizon booth, fragrant oil and incense stands, and food vendors.

A lady was selling designer pillows, printed with various NFL team logos. A merchant, a few feet away, sold African gowns, straw fedoras and leather belts. Capitol Heights police officers walked around, shaking hands with people in the park.

Children were either on the monkey bars or roller skating on the ball court, where the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission's "Skate Mobil" was parked with its sliding backdoor raised.

"This is a day when we remember the struggles and sacrifices African Americans have made throughout our history," Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-Dist. 8) of Kensington, said.

"[We should] dedicate ... ourselves to building a more perfect union [and] a stronger community," Van Hollen said.

County Chairman Samuel H. Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville invited the congressman to the event.

The parking lot contained a makeshift sound booth and stage, where the Renaissance Gospel Group performed before a small crowd, rocking along.

Rushern Baker, a former state delegate, appeared to be enjoying the festivities with his three children.

Baker, who majored in history at Howard University, said, "Juneteenth is something very important to us."

He referred to Prince George's as the wealthiest majority African-American county in the country, with one of the highest concentration of educated African Americans.

"We have an obligation to take a leading role in making sure our history is preserved and the younger generations understand how important this is," he said.

Planning for the event began in February 2005, according to founder and committee chairman Richard Bingham.

"I probably will be the chair of next year's event. What we are going to be doing is starting in July," Bingham said, referring to the need for early planning.

"Timing is everything. This was a short time from February to June. It takes like a whole year to plan it."

Bingham wants to get the youth more involved in next year's celebration.

"That's why Juneteenth has survived over 140 years, because the ancestors and the youth from those ancestors [have been involved], he said.

The committee, established this year, will become a resource for the community.

"We want to start sharing information about the history of Juneteenth and the importance of the event," Bingham said.

E-mail Alan King at aking@gazette.net."

Rushern Baker: God Bless Family of Slain Officer

2005-06-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

"Friends of Rushern Baker

June 22, 2005

For Immediate Release
www.rushernbaker.com

God Bless Family of Slain Officer

May God bless and protect the Gaughan family in this difficult time.
Corporal Steven Gaughan has made a sacrifice that we pray an officer
never has to make.

But it should not take a lethal bullet to recognize that Corporal
Gaughan is a hero. All officers who wear the badge and patrol our streets
are heros.

When his unit called for backup on Tuesday, it came, and the criminals
were beat. We, the civic and public leaders of this county, must have
that same attitude. Our citizens and our police officers have been
calling for backup to beat this crime crisis - and it has not come.

The next county executive must respect our police officers, must
increase our ranks, must utilize all good ideas presented, and must bring
people together to end this crime crisis.

There is a dream that is Prince George's County. We should again be on
the path to become the first majority minority county where the
American Dream did not just succeed, but prospered so much that its light is
seen throughout this nation. Each act of violence slowly kills this
dream."

Ralph Warren Dumps His Old Boss Jack Johnson To Support An Honest Man - Rushern Baker

2005-06-12T19:21:00.000-07:00

Ralph Warren, who worked under Johnson when the county executive was
the Prince George's County state's attorney, is part of the team.
"[Rushern] is clearly the best person for the job," Warren said,
adding that the county is moving backwards in public safety, crime and
education. "We're retrogressing. We're have an unprecedented number of
murders and we're leading the state in terms of carjackings and armed
robberies. We just can't continue at this pace." - The Gazette

Baker, however, said the pressure was on the incumbent. "If anything,
[Johnson] has got to convince people why he should get four more years
based on his record," he said, citing the county's troubled school
system and increased crime since Johnson took office. - The Washington Post

Considered one of the state's most promising young African-American
leaders, Baker, a 46-year-old Democrat, is frequently mentioned as a
candidate for lieutenant governor, but said yesterday he is not interested
in being selected for a ticket. "I'm going to focus strictly on county
executive," he said. - Baltimore Sun

Rushern Baker Exploratory Committee Members

2005-06-06T11:27:00.000-07:00

Exploratory Committee Members
June 6, 2005

Chair: Chris Lawson, Business Owner, community leader, Bowie
Treasurer: Brad Seamon, Business Owner, Upper Marlboro

Musa Eubanks, Lawyer, Own Practice, Mitchellville
Debra Ross, Business Owner, Glen Dale
Anita Gonzales, Community Leader, Accokeek
Michelle Haywood-Lawson, Business Owner, Bowie
Lawrence Ford, Retired Deputy Sheriff, Upper Marlboro
Regina Speed-Bost, Lawyer, Cheltenham
Delores Stuckey, Consultant, Bowie
Ed Terry, Information Technology Specialist, Cheverly
Travis Tazelaar, Former Marine, Clinton
Ralph Warren, Lawyer, Own Practice, Former Deputy State’s Attorney, Mitchellville
Larry Colding, Business Owner, Bowie
Sherron Fulton, Technology Executive, Upper Marlboro
Zabrina Epps, Educator, Laurel
Brynee Baylor, Lawyer, Own Practice, from Upper Marlboro
Dawn Jackson, Lawyer, Own Practice, Bowie
Kenneth Johnson, Food and Facilities Management, Springdale
Stratton Nash, Mortgage Financing Executive, Bowie
Melinda Warner, Student, College Park
Roland Jones, Business Executive, Greenbelt
James Walls, Vice Mayor, District Heights
Chuck Perry, Lawyer, Bowie
Omar Boulware, US Department Navy, VP of Chapel Oaks/Beaver Heights Civic Association, Capitol Heights
Roderick and Sherrie O’Savio, Business owners, Bowie
Bernard Williams, Business executive, Masonic leader, Greenbelt

Rushern Baker is a former Delegate and Chairman of the Prince George’s County
House Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly.

Rushern Baker: Exploratory Committee Established

2005-06-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

Statement of Rushern Baker:

Exploratory Committee Established

Baker residence, Cheverly, MD

June 6, 2005

After my years serving as delegate and chair of the county delegation to Annapolis, I became the Executive Director of an organization that works on helping at-risk students succeed in school.

It was an opportunity for me to continue to serve and still find time for my family. For the first time in my life, I was doing a public service while working normal hours and receiving a good salary.

I have spent time with my three children. I am active in their schools, sports and other activities. In their view, I’ve probably been too active.

I have deeply enjoyed private life and have been blessed.

Today, from this place, I am taking a step forward.

* * * *
Each family is part of this community. Mine is no exception.

My children - all my children - have attended county public schools. My involvement in the school system, including the tough decisions I’ve made on this subject, comes from a deep concern for my loved ones.

And none of us, including our family, are untouched by the increasing reach of crime.

Our family car was stolen out of this driveway. This not unusual: last year nearly 18,000 cars were stolen in this county.

Last year four thousand, ninety-eight robberies took place in our county – the highest in Maryland. My son was one among them, robbed at the metro station around the corner with a gun to his head.

Yes, robbed at the metro station around the corner with a gun to his head

And there are worse crimes that befall members of our community. The worst of all, rape, is tragically increasing in front of a callous administration. Murder has rapidly increased with no signs of slowing down, tearing apart families in every part of our county.

These are not anomalies; this is life today in Prince George’s County.

Under our current leadership, our county now leads the state in rape, robbery, arson, larceny, carjacking and car theft.

This is intolerable for Prince George’s County. I am frustrated and I am not alone.

Prince George’s County is supposed to be the place where the American Dream succeeded – not a place where it failed.

That is the charge of the next County Executive. Each public school must be a quality school. Our property, our families, and ourselves must be safe and secure. Our county must start generating positive headlines rather than negative ones.

There nothing that is wrong with Prince George’s County can’t be fixed by what is right with the people of Prince George’s county.

Like many here, I feel called to service. It is incumbent upon us to stand tall and take hold of our community, our dream, before it is lost.

* * * *
But this is not my decision alone to make.

This Exploratory Committee is a necessary step to measure the financial commitment of Prince George’s County residents’ desire for new leadership.

I am standing here for the county. If people of this county will stand with me, I will fight for them as nobody has fought before.

I urge those who seek a better community to reach out to us. You can contact us, contribute and sign up to volunteer on the website: rushernbaker.com.

Family Introductions

Lawson Introduction, introduces committee

Rushern Baker is a former Delegate and Chairman of the Prince George’s County

House Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly.

Friends of Rushern Baker, 802 Palatine Place, Bowie 20716

www.rushernbaker.com. By authority of Brad Seamon, Treasurer

Join The Friends of Rushern for a South County Barbecue! June 26th

2005-06-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

"Join The Friends of Rushern for a South County Barbecue! Who said making a difference in this county was no picnic?* Good Food, Good Music, Good People and a Good Cause! Sunday, June 26th, 2005 3:00-7:00pm Tantallon Country Club 300 St. Andrews Dr. Ft. Washington, MD Friends $20 Patrons $50 Kids Free *Proceeds will benefit efforts to reduce crime and enforce leadership in our county. By Authority: Brad Seamon, Treasurer www.rushernbaker.com "

Baker Offers Post-Hornsby Roadmap

2005-06-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

Baker Offers Post-Hornsby Roadmap

"This is a time to build the future, not dwell on the past" said Rushern Baker, referring to the fortunes of the county school system in the wake of superintendent Andre Hornsby's resignation. Baker, whose son graduates from Suitland High School today at 2pm, contended that "the situation of our school system cries out for leadership." In that spirit, Baker offers the following roadmap to move ahead constructively:

1. Initiate a strategic plan.
The twelve or more months it will take to find a new superintendent should not go to waste. The county should launch a study to understand the rapid demographic, economic and geographic changes that are taking place in the county so we can anticipate the needs of our growing school system. This information should then be used to develop a strategic plan for our school system. "We must replace the current crisis-oriented short-term approach to our schools with a genuine vision, followed by a 10-year plan to achieve that vision," says Baker.

2. Leadership from the County Executive.
Only the executive is in the position to give strong direction and focus for this process. The executive should facilitate a diverse group of stakeholders to participate in the strategic planning and search process.

3. Investment of diverse stakeholders in process.
"The challenge facing the county education system is not just the responsibility of the school board. It is a shared responsibility of all county entities, organizations and residents," said Baker. Therefore the strategic planning and search process must also involve state legislators, the County Council, chambers of commerce, civic leaders and parents. This stakeholding team should commit to the implementation of the strategic plan and aggressively work to recruit a top-notch administrator who truly has the expertise and skills to fix our system. The final selection of the candidate should be left in the hands of the school board.

Baker has a longstanding commitment to education. As State Delegate and county delegation chairman, his leadership in Annapolis secured record amounts of school funding and he is currently the head of an organization that promotes the hiring of minority teachers. He also took showed tough leadership in 2002 to save the school system from failure during a time of severe crisis and dysfunction.

###

Rushern Baker is a former Delegate and Chairman of the Prince George's
County House Delegation to the MD General Assembly.

Friends of Rushern Baker, 802 Palatine Place, Bowie 20716
www.rushernbaker.com. By authority of Brad Seamon, Treasurer

Rushern Baker Says, "POLICE OFFICERS ARE NOT CHAUFFEURS" Get Them Back To Police Work

2005-05-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release
May 26, 2005
Contact Adam Ortiz, 301-573-6191

POLICE OFFICERS ARE NOT CHAUFFEURS

"The sense of royalty must end. The Johnson administration is abusing their position to benefit themselves rather than the people" charged Rushern Baker.

Information from a May 25 investigative report by ABC7 News revealed that Prince George's County Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Jacqueline "Jackie" Brown has a police officer assigned to her as her personal driver. Johnson defended Brown's personal use of the officer. Numerous reports show that the county police department is woefully understaffed and suffers long response times amid increasing crime.

"The Johnson administration's use of our sworn police officers as chauffeurs is shameful. This is a personal exploitation of our police department during a countywide crime crisis" Baker contended. "Jack Johnson and Jackie Brown should be ashamed of themselves."

Baker contends that Brown and others do not need private police officers drawn from the county ranks: "Jackie Brown is a county administrator, not the Vice President. If Johnson truly needs a security detail, it should come from a private company, not from our county police ranks. These sworn officers are desperately needed on our streets."

It is well-documented that Prince George's County suffers from a severe shortage of police officers. By the county's own estimates, the department is approximately 150 officers understaffed. But based manpower averages by the FBI, the department is more than 700 officers short. Crimes like rape, carjacking and murder have shot up during Johnson's administration.

Baker suggests better utilization of police resources: "I urge Johnson to return these officers to the street." Baker has proposed additional solutions, including rehiring retired officers, moving sworn officers from desk jobs to patrols, and for the resignation of Chief Melvin High.

"Our police officers deserve support and leadership, not exploitation" said Baker. "Our officers are making a tremendous effort despite being constantly undermined by this administration."

###

Rushern Baker is a former Delegate and Chairman of the Prince George's County House Delegation to the MD General Assembly.

Friends of Rushern Baker, 802 Palatine Place, Bowie 20716
www.rushernbaker.com. By authority of Brad Seamon, Treasurer

"Anybody who wants to lead this county is going to have to come talk to members of this group," said Rushern Baker

2005-05-25T21:02:00.000-07:00

Knotts on his own as slates gear up for 2006: "Knotts on his own as slates gear up for 2006

by Tiesha Higgins
Staff Writer
May 26, 2005 The sub-group of County Council members, dubbed "the gang of six" for voting together on many issues, held a joint fund-raiser Tuesday night minus one of their members Councilman Tony Knotts (D-Dist. 8) of Temple Hills.

When the members of the group ran for office in 2002, Knotts also ran separately.

The slate, founded by Councilman Samuel H. Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville, includes council members Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel, David Harrington (D-Dist. 5) of Cheverly, Camille Exum (D-Dist. 7) of Capitol Heights and Douglas J.J. Peters (D-Dist. 4) of Bowie, along with state Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-Dist. 25) of Forestville, Del. Mary Conroy (D-Dist. 23A) of Bowie and state Sen. Nathaniel Exum (D-Dist. 24) of Capitol Heights and Sheriff Michael Jackson.

Members of the tight-knit group have expressed displeasure at the "gang of six" title, stating it gives a negative connotation to their efforts.

Knotts is heavily supported by U.S. Rep. Albert Wynn. Knotts said he is not relying on the safety of running on a slate to keep him in office.

"It's important for people to see me as a person who they would want to represent them," Knotts said. "I'm comfortable with what I've accomplished."

Among the heavy hitters in attendance at the slate's fund-raiser were developers William Chesley and Gary Michael; former County Executive Wayne K. Curry; Bishop C. Anthony Muse, who is also likely to run for an office next year; Washington Redskins football player LaVar Arrington; and a plethora of lobbyists and community leaders.

"Anybody who wants to lead this county is going to have to come talk to members of this group," said Rushern Baker, a former state delegate. Baker, a likely candidate for county executive, attended Tuesday's fund-raiser."

Baker: Johnson Rape Comment "irresponsible, insensitive and crude"

2005-05-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

Maryland Politics: Rape is the Woman's Fault - Just ask Jack Johnson.: "For Immediate Release
May 20, 2005
Contact Sam Epps, 240-603-3029

Baker: Johnson Rape Comment "irresponsible, insensitive and crude"

"Jack Johnson's comment is deeply irresponsible, insensitive and crude. He has a lot of nerve dismissing women getting raped as 'all relationship issues,' said Rushern Baker today.

Baker's criticism responds to Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson's comment on WTOP radio Thursday, May 20, to the 25% increase in rape in the county. Johnson said: "These are all relationship issues, where whatever breakdown occurs and people accusing each other of rape."
The interview is available online:
http://audio.wtopnews.com/ask_the/0518_johnson.ram.

The comment triggered harsh responses from the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

In response to questions about increasing crime in the county, Johnson said "we can't panic. We can't change strategy." Baker responded "It is easy for Johnson not to panic when he and members of his staff have their own security detail."

Johnson also dismissed the crime problem as an "aberration" and shifted the blame again, saying, "This is a societal problem, not a Jack Johnson problem."

Baker shot back: "A two-and-a half year increase is no aberration. This is clearly a Jack Johnson problem. Under Johnson, our county now leads the state in rape, robbery, larceny theft, arson, carjacking and car theft," said Baker. "Johnson is out of touch and his leadership is weak. In the face of his crime crisis he is shifty, and blames the nearest target, whoever it may be."

The pattern Baker referred to is also illustrated in March when Johnson, citing calls for police service from apartment residents, called apartment communities "breeding grounds for criminal activity" and threatened: "we will close you down." He offered no plan for housing apartment resident who would be displaced. The plan resulted in protests from residents and Johnson backed down.

To stem the crime crisis, Baker has called for immediate measures to put more police on the streets and for the resignation of Police Chief Melvin High.

Rushern Baker is a former Delegate and Chairman of the Prince George's County House Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly.

Friends of Rushern Baker, 802 Palatine Place, Bowie 20716
www.rushernbaker.com.
By authority of Brad Seamon, Treasurer "

Jack Johnson Leads The State in "category of useless crime-fighting gimmicks"

2005-05-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

Smoke and Mirrors: “New” Crime Plan Exactly Same as Old
10 Crime “Talk Forces” in 12 Months

“They accomplish so little, they should be renamed ‘talk forces,’” charged Rushern Baker in response to Chief Melvin High’s Wednesday announcement creating a new task force to address the murder crisis. The county currently has 65 murders this year, a 50% increase from last year and more than the District of Columbia.

Though he was spare on details, High told the Washington Post it would involve interdepartmental collaboration during the summer months.

“They can’t handle the murder crisis so they present this sham plan. It is the same exact ‘Task Force’ Jack Johnson and Chief High introduced a year ago,” explained Baker. (See June 14, 2004 Press Release from the County Police: “Operation Safe Corridors…a cooperative partnership between all law enforcement agencies in the County…. designed to reduce crime during the summer…. Chief High will also announce other initiatives designed to continue the overall downward trend of crime in the County.”)

Baker is critical of the large number of “task forces” and “initiatives” that have been “unveiled” by the county (see summary below). Ten have been created in the last twelve months. “Many of them, if they exist at all, duplicate other efforts” he explained. In addition to this new murder task force, there is a Violent Crimes Task Force, the police’s regular Homicide Unit and at least three other closely related efforts.

“Under Jack Johnson and Chief High, Prince George’s County now leads the state in rape, robbery, arson, larceny theft, carjacking and car theft. If that weren’t enough, we now lead in the category of useless crime-fighting gimmicks” said Baker.

Baker’s harshest criticism was in response to Chief High’s comments Wednesday justifying his crime-fighting plan to date, saying “I’m comfortable with it. I think it is effective. We’re in a deep hole, but we have to keep working at it. I think we’re on the right track.” Baker slammed this comment as “ridiculous and shows that this man is completely out of touch. This is clear evidence that Chief High should resign immediately.”

“We deserve better than smoke and mirrors. We need less gimmicks and more police on our streets,” said Baker, sounding a familiar refrain for more manpower for the woefully understaffed police department.

(continued)

“TALK FORCE” SUMMARY

In addition to standing sections of the police department such as the Homicide Unit, the Homicide Cold Case Unit, Robbery Unit, Repeat Offender’s Unit, and Auto Theft Unit and the multijurisdictional Washington Area Vehicle Enforcement Team (WAVE Team), Jack Johnson and Chief High have announced these 10 “Initiatives” and “Task Forces” in the last 12 months:

1. Unnamed new Task Force to address homicides – Created May 2005.
2. “’Safe Streets’ Violent Crime Task Force” – Created January 2005.
3. “Most Wanted Offender Initiative” - Created January 2005.
4. “High Intensity Traffic Initiative” – Created January 2005.
5. “Auto Theft and Vandalism Task Force” – Created January 2005.
6. “Connected Communities Initiative” for DC Border Agreement – Created October 2004.
7. “Operation Safe Corridors” Task Force – Created June 2004.
8. “Project Drug Abatement” Task Force – Created June 2004.
9. “Enhanced Gang Initiative” Task Force – Created June 2004.
10. “Bi-County Task Force on Gang Activity” – Created May 2004.

Sources:
1. “County Plans to Move on Crimes,” The Gazette, May 12, 2005
2. Police Press Release, January 13, 2005
3. Police Press Release, January 13, 2005
4. Police Press Release, January 13, 2005
5. “An 'Epidemic' Spurs Search for Remedies,” Washington Post, May 5, 2005
6. Office of the Mayor Press Release, District of Columbia, October 4, 2004
7. “Chief High to Announce Summer Crime Fighting Initiatives,” Police Department Press Release, June 14, 2004.
8. “Police Unveil Summer Crime-Fighting Plans”; Washington Post, June 24, 2004
9. “Police Unveil Summer Crime-Fighting Plans”; Washington Post, June 24, 2004
10. “Johnson, Duncan seek to curb gang activates with joint task force,” The Gazette, March 5, 2004.

Prince George's Car Thieves Also Steal Sense of Control - Rushern L. Baker III Fights Back

2005-05-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

Prince George's Car Thieves Also Steal Sense of Control: "Prince George's Car Thieves Also Steal Sense of Control
Victims Say Lives Are Upended, and They Feel Unsafe

By Avis Thomas-Lester
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 5, 2005; Page B04

Frederick Beverly was among the multitudes lined up at the "tags" window at the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration office in Upper Marlboro when Doris Carey and Melanie Tyree, waiting to turn in their license plates, struck up a conversation.

His car had been stolen, he told the women. "From right in front of my house."

An 'Epidemic' Spurs Search for Remedies
If you live in Prince George's County, chances are that you know someone who has walked outside a home or workplace to find an empty space where a car had been. Perhaps that person was you. If so, you've got company, and plenty of it. About this report.

"Umph, umph, umph," Carey said in disgust.

"They are bold, all right," Tyree chimed in. "These kids just don't care."

Tyree could sympathize. Her teenage son's car was recently stolen from right in front of their Landover home.

Beverly's sojourn at the MVA was his second in eight months. Twenty-one hours before, his seafoam green 1998 Mercury Sable had been snatched from his home on Merritt Street in District Heights. Last August, his dark green 1995 Toyota Camry was taken from his driveway.

He and Tyree are among a crowd of fellow sufferers in a county that has more car thefts than all the state's other jurisdictions combined. Last year, 18,485 vehicles were stolen in Prince George's County, and 4,553 have been stolen so far this year. The county also leads the state in carjackings.

The county's car theft rate has become a political issue. Rushern L. Baker III, a former state delegate who is a possible Democratic candidate for county executive, called a news conference last week to highlight the statistics. County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) countered by noting that the number so far in 2005 was down 16 percent from the same period last year and citing his anti-car theft initiatives.

Each of those thefts brings its own particular set of dilemmas to the victims.

Immediately after finding his car missing, Beverly contacted the police, who went to his home and took a report. Then he traveled the length of his street, inquiring about lurking strangers and alerting his neighbors.

After he left the MVA on Day Two, he went to his insurance agent to cancel his coverage. Then he contacted his cell phone carrier to see whether anyone had used the phone left in the glove compartment.

Everywhere, he and other victims are required to show proof of ownership. And they often must dip into leave time at work to get it all done, as Beverly did.

The psychological impact of having a car stolen is often greater than the financial loss and inconvenience, experts said.

Beverly, who works for the U.S. Postal Service, said he has found himself daydreaming about catching up with the car thief in a dark alley and still follows cars that look like his.

Frederick Beverly of District Heights has had two cars stolen from his home since August. (By Robert A. Reeder -- The Washington Post)

"The first night, I was driving down Florida Avenue and I saw a car that looked like mine and I made a U-turn and chased after it," he said. "When I got close, I saw that it wasn't mine. But I've found myself doing that every day since the car was stolen."

It's not an unusual reaction, said county Public Safety Director Vernon R. Herron.

"People feel violated," said Herron, a former Maryland State Police trooper. "For somebody to come along who hasn't worked as hard as we have and take a 10-cent screwdriver and steal our car makes people very upset."

Police Maj. Markus Summers, commander of the 3rd District, where Beverly lives, said the thefts leave victims feeling unsafe.

"They feel like, 'What are they going to do next, break into my house?' " he said. "Your car is like your house -- you spend a considerable amount of time there."

The recent theft rattled Beverly because it was "so blatant." It occurred on a Sunday afternoon on a busy residential street where state Sen. Ulysses Currie (D) lives while several people were outside doing yardwork or playing with children.

Beverly said he was nodding off on his living room sofa, only a few yards away, as a handyman installed a fan in his bathroom. Had his drapes not been drawn, he would have seen the culprit.

When the handyman asked him to retrieve a tool from outside, he discovered the theft.

"I looked up the street in one direction, then down the street in the other direction, as if looking would make the car appear," Beverly said. "I couldn't believe anybody would be that bold."

Mary Broady, who lives across the street from Beverly, said her pickup was stolen a month ago about 4 a.m. when thieves pulled into her driveway and hooked it to a stolen tow truck.

"I heard a loud thump," Broady, 78, said. "I looked out and saw the tow truck. It didn't matter that there were lights. They were just bold. They came right up in my driveway. Can you imagine that?"

Police are aware of the method. Charles County Sheriff's Department detectives, investigating complaints of tow trucks stealing older cars from parking lots, recently arrested an Upper Marlboro tow company owner and charged him with possession of stolen vehicles.

It seems that everybody has a stolen car story. The state's attorney in Prince George's, Glenn F. Ivey, had his van stolen. The car of a prominent minister, the Rev. Paul A. Wells of New Revival Kingdom Church in Forestville, was snatched as he preached at a funeral service.

The car of AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John B. Townsend II was stolen Thanksgiving week after a car accident as it sat wrecked, with the wheel secured in a lock, tires flat, in Landover.

That's why Beverly bristled over Johnson's optimistic statement last week. "All of us who have had a car stolen know that they are still being stolen a lot. He shouldn't be out there trying to make people think this isn't a big issue, because it is.""

Baker makes uphill push for county executive seat

2005-05-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

Baker makes uphill push for county executive seat: "Baker makes uphill push for county executive seat

by Tiesha Higgins
Staff Writer
May 12, 2005
When County Executive Jack B. Johnson held a press conference last month to announce the results of an apartment cleanup mandate to reduce crime, former state delegate Rushern Baker III held his own press conference in the same spot later that day, denouncing Johnson's efforts as "smoke and mirrors."

Baker's quick-fire response marked another of his political offensives against Johnson, whom he will likely run against in next year's Democratic primary election. Baker, and the small team he has assembled, are moving forward with a grassroots campaign based largely on aggressive attempts to get his name mentioned in news outlets and weekly press releases blasting Johnson at every opportunity.

"I haven't seen any programs or initiatives that are new [from Baker]," said James P. Keary, a Johnson spokesman. "All I see is criticism, and I think voters would see through that."

Baker has spent the last few months building support and talking with community groups in parts of the county where he fared the worst in the 2002 poll. While he has not yet made up his mind on whether to run, Baker said his decision will be based on the level of disappointment county residents express during his visits to communities.

"If folks who went for Jack last time are not happy, then it's an indication that they are as frustrated as I am," Baker said.

Several candidates who contested the position three years ago have already assured him that they will not be in the race this time around.

"Rushern is a talented man with a strong commitment to public service, but I think he's facing long odds," said Glenn F. Ivey, Prince George's County State's Attorney, citing Johnson's deep pockets and solid base of supporters. "It's going to be very difficult for Rushern to reverse that."

Baker garnered 12.5 percent of the votes in the 2002 primary, coming in fourth out of the five candidates, just slightly ahead of county businessman Major Riddick. Baker said he is not focusing on the odds, but on the 63 percent of the 2002 voters who did not pick Johnson.

Adam C. Ortiz, an unofficial campaign worker for Baker, said he has received "overwhelming encouragement and response from citizens and officials."

"I think it's too early to determine what his chances are," said Wayne Clarke, a political consultant on local campaigns for the past 15 years. "It's all going to be determined on what kind of organization he can put together, how much money he can raise and what the political landscape is going to look like in the next 14 months."

Ronald Walters, government and politics professor at the University of Maryland, said the votes Johnson lost in 2002 have no bearing on how a one-on-one race would unfold.

"You can't pretend Jack Johnson is not in office," Walters said. "Knocking out an incumbent is one of the most difficult things to do."

Baker's chance hinges on public dissatisfaction with Johnson and developing strong enough name recognition, Walters said.

"You have to find the pretext for unseating someone in office who is powerful," he said. "I don't know that Johnson has made any mistake so far that's grievous enough that his constituents would turn him out for it."

Johnson's poor relationships with the state delegation and the County Council which has added fuel to the problems in funding the cash-strapped Prince George's Hospital Center could be an Achilles' heel for the county executive that a candidate may target, Walters said.

"I'm not saying things are hunky dory here by any stretch of the imagination. But so far, I haven't seen an opening big enough to drive a campaign through," Walters said.

"At this stage, it's all about [Baker] heightening his profile and at the same time drawing contrasts," Clarke said. "Whether it's effective or not, only time will tell.""

The Week of Murders - Baker Speaks Out

2005-05-12T07:01:00.000-07:00

"A TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE"
BAKER STATEMENT ON WEEK OF MURDERS

In the last seven days seven people have been murdered in Prince
George's County. One of those murdered was a four-year-old boy who was beaten to death. On Tuesday night alone, four people were shot in the District Heights area, two fatally. This brings the county total for 2005 to 62, a 50% increase from this time last year. Last year saw the highest murder otal in recent history, double that of 2000. Prince George's currently has more murders than any jurisdiction in the region, including DC.

In response to these events, Rushern Baker offers the following statement:

"This week has seen a terrible loss of life. I extend my condolences to the friends and families affected by this violence. They are in my thoughts and prayers.

"Although our county government cannot prevent every murder, it can prevent some. We can, and we must, do better to stop this crime crisis.

"The dream of Prince George's County is a majority-minority community that is prosperous, safe, and a beacon of opportunity that shines to all America. Each murder, one by one, slowly kills this dream."

###

Rushern Baker is a former Delegate and Chairman of the Prince George's County House Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly.

Friends of Rushern Baker

For Immediate Release

May 12, 2005
Contact Adam Ortiz: 301-573-6191

Washington Examiner: Jack Johnson Responsible For Car Theft Explosion - Rushern Baker has Realistic Solution

2005-05-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

Washington Examiner: Opinion: "Not even Grandma is safe from car thieves

Published: Thursday, May 5, 2005 9:55 PM EDT
Counting the number of cars reported stolen in Prince George's County each year isn't exactly rocket science, although the total is certainly in the stratosphere. But when County Executive Jack Johnson announced a 16 percent decrease in vehicle thefts in a press release last month, he was immediately challenged by former state Delegate Rushern Baker at a news conference held in a Lanham parking lot.

Baker lost to Johnson in the last primary and is reportedly planning to take him on again. But his point is valid: If Johnson takes credit for reducing car theft during the past four months, he should also explain why there's more of it in Prince George's than in all the rest of Maryland combined, especially since reducing crime was one of Johnson's major 2002 campaign promises.

According to Maryland State Police statistics, 18,485 vehicles were stolen in the county in 2004; another 17,628 in 2003. Something is drastically amiss when every single day 50 people experience the stomach-churning sensation of finding their cars missing in a 500-square-mile county with fewer than a million inhabitants. Worse, Prince George's also leads the state in carjackings, which have increased 40 percent under Johnson's supposedly crime-fighting administration. Homicides are also up an eye-popping 60 percent, with equally dramatic increases in rapes and robberies as well.

Perhaps it's because drug dealers and car rustlers like Vernon Bullock - a District resident who carjacked a minivan at gunpoint in Beltsville on Oct. 5, 2003, and is now serving a seven-year prison term - know that when they enter Prince George's County, they'll encounter a chronically understaffed police department with many officers reluctant to aggressively pursue them for fear of getting into serious trouble themselves.

The county's absurdly high rate of auto theft may be the unintended fallout of a U.S. Justice Department investigation into the use of excessive force - which culminated in a January 2004 consent decree signed by Johnson and Police Chief Melvin High. Johnson himself prosecuted 11 police officers accused of misconduct on the job when he was state's attorney, although none of them were ever convicted.

This past February, jurors acquitted another Prince George's cop accused of police brutality. The jury didn't buy the prosecution's Rodney King scenario, even after watching a videotape of 31-year-old Cpl. Brian Addis kneeing the handcuffed Bullock and hitting him with a metal baton after he crashed the stolen vehicle during a high-speed chase on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.

In charging Addis with assault, State's Attorney Glenn Ivey essentially turned an armed carjacker who had been fleeing from the police into a victim. Jurors knew better, siding with the six-year police veteran who testified he believed Bullock was reaching for a gun. Even after the "not guilty" verdict, however, Ivey wanted the Justice Department to review the case again - even though it had already done so prior to the trial, according to the Fraternal Order of Police.

So Prince George's cops now know how fine the line is between necessary and excessive force. But they also know that nobody ever gets prosecuted for being a little too slow getting to the scene, or for holding back just a bit. Why put your life and career on the line for somebody else's car? Except that auto theft inevitably leads to more serious crimes which keep everybody's property values low, commercial investors away and county residents' misery index high.

Johnson's office hosted an auto theft prevention forum in Mitchellville April 2, including a presentation called "Please, Please Bring Back Grandma's Car." Better to make sure Grandma's car isn't stolen in the first place.

Staggering numbers
Comparing 2003 vehicle theft statistics:
In the entire state of Maryland, with a population of about 5.5 million - 36,405.
In Prince George's County, with a population of 838,716 - 17,628.
Sources: FBI Uniform Crime Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau."

W*USA 9 - Innocent People In their Homes - Jack Johnson Says Evict Then - Rushern Baker Says Protect Them

2005-04-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

W*USA 9 - USA Tonight: "House Divided
Written by Stacey Cohan
Created:3/22/2005 9:07:39 PM
Last Updated:3/22/2005 9:17:45 PM

A pledge to fight crime turns into a battle over affordable housing.

Last week, Prince George's County executive Jack Johnson vowed to shut down badly run apartment complexes that have become hotspots for criminals.

But law abiding apartment dwellers want Johnson to evict the criminals not the residents.

Stacey Cohan's report

A brand new fence divides apartment complexes in Forestville, but a quickly cut hole proves tough problems are not so easily solved.

Letha Green has lived here for seven years. She's seen crime soar, but she got mad when she heard that part of County Executive Jack Johnson's plan to cut crime is to crack down on landlords for poor maintenance of apartment complexes.

According to Johnson's office, one out of every 20 calls for police service last year came from the 22 complexes. His deputy chief of staff Derrick Green says management needs to fix up the buildings, install proper lighting and help keep residents safe.

Rushern Baker ran against Johnson for county executive in 2003. He says threatening to shut down rental properties is the wrong approach.

But the administration says they are flooded with calls from apartment dwellers complaining about poor conditions. Officials insist this is not about pushing out the poor. They say it's about shutting out the criminals.

A Jack Johnson spokesman says the county executive has committed to hiring 150 police officers over the next six years.

Click on video to see Stacey Cohan's report."

Field getting smaller for exec race - Will Johnson Drop Out If Baker Runs?

2005-04-29T09:22:00.000-07:00

Field getting smaller for exec race: "Field getting smaller for exec race

April 14, 2005
Former Maryland delegate Rushern Baker III said there is a strong possibility he will run against County Executive Jack Johnson for a second time if his democratic opponents in the last election stay out of the race. Baker lost to Johnson in the primary election in 2002.

Along with Baker, other candidates at the time included former county councilman M.H. Jim Estepp, Major Riddick, a local businessman, and the Rev. Anthony Muse, pastor of Ark of Safety Church. Estepp and Riddick are not planning to run again. Muse could not be reached for comment."

Rushern Baker Making a Dfference in Local Schools

2005-04-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

Career change program benefits local schools: "Career change program benefits local schools

by Guy Leonard
Staff Writer
March 31, 2005
Rodney Carter, once an administrator at American University, now spends his time in the classroom instead of the office.

The career change occurred when he applied for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Transition to Teaching Program, which allows college graduates and people considering a career change from a degreed profession to get training to teach in public schools.

Carter, now a teacher at Port Towns Elementary in Bladensburg, said the program encourages men to act as positive role models as well as teachers, something the school system needs.

"If you take a look at any childcare center, preschool or elementary school, you will see that there are very few men who work with young children," Carter said.

The program, now in its third year, has been well received in Prince George's County.

"We recruit for the entire region," said Imani Drayton-Hill, a COG spokeswoman. "But the largest percentage of our teachers are recruited by Prince George's County."

Ninety percent of the teachers in the program go to the county, according to COG statistics, because of the active recruiting program undertaken by Prince George's school officials.

John White, spokesman for the county school system, said the Transition to Teaching Program along with other programs the system participates in had brought in close to 400 teachers into classrooms.

"It's a very helpful means of getting experienced professionals into our classrooms," White said.

The program has attracted people from all walks of life and employment, but has attracted African-American men in particular who are looking to give back to their communities, Drayton-Hill said.

"As an African-American male who grew up in the inner city environment, I feel that I can relate to the children I teach," said Charles White, a former U.S. postal worker now teaching 5th grade students at Port Towns Elementary. "My desire has been to be a positive role model in the community and in front of the classroom instead of being stereotyped as the one who cleans it up."

The program is currently looking for college graduates and professionals with backgrounds in science, mathematics, English and Spanish to sign on to the program before the April 15 deadline. Classes are held during the summer months only.

Applicants who qualify are sent to intensive summertime courses at the Howard University School of Education in the District, where they can also work toward a master's degree in education. Classes are subsidized by the U.S. Department of Education, and there is a stipend available for those in the program. It is a full transition program so teachers are required to quit their previous jobs when in training, Drayton-Hill said.

"There are about six programs similar to ours in the Metropolitan region," Drayton-Hill said. "But this [working toward a master's degree] is where our program differs."

According to COG, about 12,000 teachers are needed each year to fill the vacancies in the region's school systems because teachers are leaving faster than they can be recruited, especially in urban and inner-city communities.

Professionals who successfully complete the program sign three-year contracts to teach.

Rushern Baker, executive director of the Community Teachers Institute in the District, said the program was designed specifically to keep teachers in community schools longer than the three-year contract.

The main goal, Baker said, was to give teachers the tools and pride of place to stay in communities that needed dedicated and qualified teachers the most.

"These are the areas where you're dealing with the students who are most in need and the least prepared," Baker said. "Poverty plays a huge hand in it, and you have a lot of kids who are from apartments who may be in transient or immigrant families.

"We [CTI and COG] partner the new teachers with a veteran teacher as a mentor who can help them deal with the problem in the classrooms and with the administration. Without those mentors [and the solutions to problems they present], that's why so many teachers are leaving."

E-mail Guy Leonard at gleonard@gazette.net."

Baker and Ivey attend annual conference of the 2nd Episcopal District of the AME Church - Washington Post2005/4/29

2005-04-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

Church Leaders Cheer Speech by Johnson - Washington Post2005/4/29: "Church Leaders Cheer Speech by Johnson - Washington Post - 15/4/2005

Outros Jornais

By Ovetta Wiggins and Hamil R. Harris
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, April 14, 2005; Page PG02

Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson visited Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington on Sunday and told nearly 200 church and community leaders that he disagrees with the view held by some County Council members that the county's mega-churches are snatching up prime tax property.

Johnson's comments came during the opening reception of the annual conference of the 2nd Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, according to the Rev. Grainger Browning Jr., pastor of the 10,000-member church. Browning said Johnson's comments were well received.
Johnson told the church gathering that churches are the "moral guardian of the community" and "what the churches contribute is far greater than what the taxes would say," Browning said.

The 2nd Episcopal District's conference, which includes Reid Temple AME Church in Glenn Dale and Union Bethel AME Church in Brandywine, is convening this week under the leadership of their new prelate, Bishop Adam J. Richardson, who recently moved to the area from Florida.

"The annual conference is a time for congregations to come together for fellowship, as well as for pastors to get assignments," Richardson said. "This conference gives us a chance to focus in on some of the issues that relate to the state of the country, state of the church and issues that we need to focus on."

In his new role, Richardson said he has put together a seven-point plan to address such issues as HIV and AIDS awareness and prevention.

"We are talking everything from men being on the down low [secretly having homosexual relations] to the proliferation of HIV-AIDS among African American women," Richardson said.

The prelate said his plan also includes staying involved in the national political process and working to strengthen economic empowerment in the minority community.

A Reborn Relationship

Johnson stayed away from developers when he ran for county executive two years ago. Or maybe it was the other way around. They stayed away from him.

From the look and sound of things at the Prince George's County Chamber of Commerce dinner last week, all that has changed.

Milton V. Peterson, the developer of National Harbor, the proposed business, shopping and entertainment complex along the Potomac River, introduced Johnson.

Peterson credited Johnson for recognizing the worth of the $2 billion project as soon as he won the top position.

"He met with me and he said, 'How do we make it happen?' " Peterson said.

Peterson called Johnson a "great leader," who, along with the County Council, would move the county even further along.

Johnson spent much of his address trumpeting the fact that the county has finally come into its own. Besides National Harbor, a number of other major projects are underway in the county, he said.

Attending the chamber event were Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan, who lately has become a fixture at any big event in the county; Montgomery County State's Attorney Douglas F. Gansler; U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who is considering a run for U.S. Senate; Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey; and former delegate Rushern Baker, who was working the crowd as he considers another run for county executive in 2006.

Aiming to Calm Nerves

Apparently Washington Gas representatives spent much of last week going door-to-door, but they were not talking to their customers. They were with their customers' elected County Council members.

The message: Everything is okay.

The utility has been under quite a bit of scrutiny since a house in District Heights exploded March 28 after residents complained of a persistent gas odor in the neighborhood. Since then, gas officials have acknowledged that there is a high volume of gas leaks in a 100-square-mile area of the county, particularly those south of Route 50, including Clinton. Last week, the state Public Service Commission opened a formal inquiry into the company's handling of the complaints about gas odors."

Rushern Baker "We do not have enough officers on our streets."

2005-04-29T09:14:00.000-07:00

Pr. George's Police Struggle to Fill Roster: "Pr. George's Police Struggle to Fill Roster
Morale Under Johnson, Not Pay, Is Part of Problem, Some Ex-Officers Say

By Allison Klein and Sudarsan Raghavan
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, April 17, 2005; Page C06

For seven years as an officer with Prince George's County police, Joseph Hudson felt his frustration mount like a tightening vise.

Even on the good days, he drove from crime scene to crime scene in the Clinton district, trying to cope on a chronically short-handed police force. Sometimes, he'd hear on his radio that 25 emergency calls were on hold and five officers were available to respond.

Joseph Hudson, right, left the Prince George's police department to work under Calvert Sheriff Mike Evans, left. (By Mark Gail -- The Washington Post)

On other days, he said, he thought commanders interfered too much -- especially after the U.S. Justice Department began investigating whether police used excessive force. Instead of making Prince George's safer, Hudson, a thick-muscled man with a buzz cut and biceps as big as footballs, felt as if he were the one in handcuffs.

"Every day I'd wonder whether it was worth it," he said.

Tired of feeling outnumbered and overmanaged, he took a $13,000 pay cut in 2002 to become a sheriff's deputy in Calvert County. He was named deputy of the year for 2004.

Hudson, 34, is part of a vexing public safety issue for the county. At a time when homicides are up 60 percent from this time last year and the force needs every good officer it can muster, Prince George's police are unable to function at full strength. Budgeted for 1,420 members, the county currently has 1,356 sworn officers.

Even that figure doesn't reflect actual street strength. On any given day, officers are on personal or sick leave, testifying in court, receiving in-service training or on limited duty.

The staffing problem is chronic: It has been at least a decade since the department filled all available jobs. Starting in 1989, when the Prince George's population was about 125,000 less than it is today, then-County Executive Parris N. Glendening pledged to expand the force to 1,400 to better serve the 500-square-mile territory.

"There may have been a time, years ago, it happened for a day or two," said the current county executive's spokesman, Jim Keary. "Not any time recent."

The shortage is taking on new urgency. Homicide rates have hurtled upward -- 148 last year, up 20 from the year before. There have also been sharp increases in rapes, carjackings and robberies this year from the same period in 2004. Residents of crime-ridden apartment complexes complain that they could, in the words of one, "run a marathon" before police respond to calls.

The issue has become politically potent. Reducing crime and improving police service were core themes of County Executive Jack B. Johnson's 2002 campaign. As the 2006 election approaches, he and other county officials are being called to account.

"We do not have enough officers on our streets. This is the single biggest reason why crime is so high in Prince George's County," said Rushern L. Baker III, a former state delegate who is expected to challenge Johnson in next year's Democratic primary."

Dinner With County Chairman Dean - Is Baker Going To Run?

2005-04-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

Seat Pleasant Mayor Ecstatic Over Ehrlich's 'Historic' Visit: "To Run or Not to Run?

County Chairman Samuel H. Dean (D-Mitchellville) and his wife, Donna , were seen having a friendly dinner recently at Grace's Fortune in Bowie with former delegate and likely county executive candidate, Rushern L. Baker III .

Baker, who lost in his bid to become county executive in 2002, has been testing the waters on whether to take another shot at the office next year."

Jack Johnson Wants to Destroy Homes and Uproot Families - Baker Says NO!

2005-04-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

Washington Examiner: News:

When average people in Prince Georges County need police protection Jack John responds with NCA - No Car Available. Now he wants to punish the victims by taking away their homes and uprooting their families. JBOC

"Tenants rip plan to close their apartments
Former delegate: Police department is 150 officers understaffed
By JONATHAN MARINO
Examiner Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, March 22, 2005 11:43 PM EST

Letha Green, right, a seven-year resident at Colonial Village Apartments, speaks as former Maryland delegate Rushern Baker, center, and fellow resident Kecia Burke listen on Tuesday in Upper Marlboro. Andrew Harnik/Examiner
Poor police response times caused the wave of criminal activity that has swept the 22 apartment buildings threatened with takeover by Prince George's said County Executive Jack Johnson, former state delegate Rushern Baker Tuesday.

Baker, flanked by a half-dozen tenants carrying protest signs, stood in front of the County Administration building and claimed Johnson's failure to increase the size of the police force to acceptable standards has led to more crime.

Baker cited records from June 20, 2004, filled with "NCA" entries - abbreviation for no car available - where police took up to nine hours to respond to complaints of gunshots, missing persons and fighting.

"Our police department is 150 officers understaffed," said Baker, who plans to run against Johnson in the November 2006 election. "The problem is low police manpower. We do not have enough officers on our streets."

Johnson, who is in Africa on a trade mission, was unavailable for comment. His spokesman Derrick Green said that public safety in Prince George's County is "too important to play politics" with and that Johnson remains committed to continually increasing officers' presence on the streets.

Murder rate not slowing down

County records do show that overall violent crime has declined during periods when more officers were placed on the streets under Johnson's tenure, but the murder rate has not slowed down in 2005, with 35 homicides reported so far in the county this year as of Tuesday.

Baker acknowledged that the county has hired additional officers, but those recent hires replaced officers who retired. The county must "aggressively re-hire retired officers" to put experienced officers on the street, he said, and convert desk officers back to beat cops.

"The result of understaffing is fewer police officers to cover calls," he said. "Fewer officers mean longer response times, or no response at all."

Tenants from the buildings that face closure by the county if they fail to meet building and upkeep codes said Baker's list of lackadaisical responses by police is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Management from several housing complexes approached tenants and told them to dial the police non-emergency number rather than 911 - and those calls were often ignored as well.

'Scared to ... call the police'

"The police, if they do show up, they'll tell the people where the call came from," said Kecia Burke, 40, of Forestville. "You're scared to even call the police."

Forest Creek Apartments, a realty management service, is among those Johnson criticized in connection with the recent increase in Prince George's crime. The apartment complex, in Forestville, is one of the 22 that might be targeted for takeover.

An unsigned letter in the Forest Creek Apartments rental office, printed on the apartment's letterhead and sent to tenants, blasted the news conference Johnson held last week in which he said the apartment community and others are "breeding grounds for criminal activity."

"What is he talking about?" the letter asks. "Most of the people who commit crimes in our area are not from this community. We are not criminals. We are victims of crime. He is looking for scapegoat for his failings and he thinks it's easy to point the finger at us."

jmarino@dcexaminer.com"

Wayne K. Curry sat with Rushern Baker at Prince George's County Young Democrats Dinner

2005-04-29T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's all in the names -- and the seating arrangement: "It's all in the names -- and the seating arrangement

by Tiesha Higgins
Staff Writer
April 28, 2005
Following the tradition of many speakers, County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) took his turn acknowledging the who's who at the Prince George's County Young Democrats dinner Friday.

Somehow, however, Johnson forgot to mention former County Executive Wayne K. Curry, who was seated at the event next to former state delegate Rushern Baker, a likely Johnson challenger in the next election and Curry ally during his time in the General Assembly.

Sources say Curry, a two-term county executive, was angry over the omission."