The Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office and the city’s liquor board are entering into a new partnership to police areas around liquor stores, bars and other businesses with liquor licenses. The change is the result of legislation Gov. Wes Moore signed into law this month.
The partnership takes the form of a new “Neighborhood Services Unit” in the Sheriff’s Office.
“This unit will focus on targeted enforcement during peak hours and in high traffic areas,” state Senate President Bill Ferguson said at a press conference Wednesday. “The times and places where this Neighborhood Services Unit will be effective are really not just about reducing crime, but they're about deterring the crime before it happens.”
He said the liquor board enforces rules inside licensed businesses, but the new unit will help with problems that spill into public spaces.
Ferguson’s district includes some of the city’s busiest entertainment districts, such as Fells Point and Federal Hill. Both neighborhoods have “been problematic in the past,” and are likely to be a major focus of future enforcement efforts, said Baltimore Police Commissioner Rich Worley.
That said, there’s not a single Baltimore City neighborhood that doesn’t struggle with challenges related to businesses with liquor licenses, said Del. Stephanie Smith, who represents East Baltimore and sponsored the bill that created the new unit.
“Businesses can be partners and they can be great neighbors, but this is about ensuring that they're not nuisances, and that's unfortunately what some of our businesses are, and our residents deserve much better,” Smith said.
The Sheriff’s Office and the Board of License Commissioners are going to sign a memorandum of understanding to outline the full scope of the Neighborhood Services Unit’s enforcement duties.
Sheriff Sam Cogen said the list is likely to include underage alcohol enforcement, enforcement of liquor laws, and investigation of some 3-1-1 complaints.
The law takes effect Oct. 1, and the officials say they will spend the next few months working out the details of how to implement it.
