Post-riot Baltimore City has now surpassed it’s previous murder record. At 305 dead so far and the second deadliest city in America, all I can say is thank God we don’t live in St. Louis. (Sorry St. Louis.)
There’s no doubt a spike in crime occurred immediately after the riots. From a layparent’s perspective (who happens to be raising two kids right in the middle of it) it seems as if the crime has gone basically unchecked. And this is not good. Small but plentiful gangs of primarily young men snake through my neighborhood around the clock, in plain view and in back alleys, on camera and off, breaking into homes, cars, and businesses, and mugging people on the street. You can predict the times and places that a crime of this nature will occur more accurately than you can predict the weather. But all the police seem to be capable of is taking a report after the fact.
We’ve become disenfranchised by the Mayor, who realizes she fucked up and reelection is not a possibility. We’ve become disenfranchised by the former police commissioner who stepped down post Freddie Gray murder-by-cop and resulting shit show. We’ve become disenfranchised by the seemingly complacent police force during the spike in crime, which will most likely be followed with a replacement of the new Police Commissioner upon whatever new administration ends up losing the election the least. We’ve become disenfranchised by our local Councilman and Senator, both retiring and no longer answering constituent calls.
So with all these potential targets for my latest rant, it may surprise you that its pointed at Amazon.com and the US Postal Service.
Quick background: In 2011, the USPS very quietly, and without much notification to the average parcel recipient (or any at all that I can find) very quietly changed its policy for delivering packages in a somewhat responsible manner—with common sense security checks and balances—to the “I don’t give a shit about your package” policy that they have today. It’s called the “Carrier Release Program.” And Amazon eagerly came aboard.
Commonly known as “scan and drop” nationwide, in Baltimore it’s referred to as “larceny lure.”
The policy gives carriers permission to drop a package on a public doorstep if “Carrier- leave if no response” is written on the package by the sender. And don’t let that “if no response” part fool ya. They don’t knock. So as you can imagine, we very often don’t get our packages here in Baltimore City. Even if we’re here, on the other side of that door waiting for them. (And in many cases, even if there is no carrier release waiver in play.)
Complaints to Amazon result in them blaming the post office. Complaints to the postal office point us back to Amazon. Carriers make it clear that their supervisors instruct them to drop the packages without knocking for fear of losing their jobs and that there are no alternatives for addressees to opt out of the program. And complaints that rise up to the level of Postmaster General result in a brief and unproductive exchange with a postal manager that makes it clear they can’t stop the practice, they don’t really know the governing policies in terms of alternative methods, and they wouldn’t find them as relevant as their Amazon contract if they did.
The fact is that this larceny lure is attracting criminals into Fells Point, Canton, Highlandtown, Butchers Hill and the surrounding areas by the hundreds. It’s not about getting our stuff from Amazon. It’s not about our wasted money and time, or the lack of value they have towards the customers who support their businesses. It’s about attracting and feeding the criminal element in an already explosive environment.
You can see them following the USPS trucks. The USPS drivers can see them too, although they won’t admit it. Alongside the stolen packages are the break ins, car thefts and muggings. They come for the easy package grabs, and then stay for the higher priced items. Some of them come back to the homes they stole from with ripped up packages and empty boxes in their hands, claiming to have “found” the remnants of the homeowner’s delivery in an alley somewhere and just wanted to let them to know. But we’re not stupid. And neither are they. They’re now armed with a “legitimate” excuse to knock on the door and see if someone is home. If you happen to be there, you can see them look past you, scanning the environment and memorizing details. And if you’re not home, come back to a broken window, stolen valuables, and a sense of fear and hopelessness. Some homeowners are too distracted by the stress of a house in shambles to realize they never got that package they were expecting. Others know immediately that the package not only came and went the same way their computer and flat screen did, it facilitated the process.
I’ve personally had better luck than others. Two packages stolen so far. Empty handed for my daughter’s birthday and short a few hundred dollars, but nothing more. A third time, however, I opened the door to find a package being lifted by a 20-something year old man. When I instinctively tried to grab it back from him, he twisted my arm, reached into his pocket and threatened to cut me if I didn’t let go. I did. But because the commotion started attracting attention, he left the package on the ground where it fell and ran off.
It would be great if Megan Brennan, CEO of the USPS (202-268-2000), or Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon (206-266-1000) could be held responsible for what the carrier release program is doing to Baltimore. But sadly the world doesn’t work that way. All we can do is hope SOMEBODY see’s the insanity of how one reckless policy—intended to line the pockets of these two CEO’s—can effect the entire criminal landscape in an urban community where it doesn’t belong. Preferably before the murder rate goes up any higher as a direct result.
I started this post referring to unchecked crime as “not good.” An understatement for sure, but here in Baltimore, the bar is set way lower than that. We need to stop fueling the fire.