Baltimore Police, Businesses Prep For Verdict In Porter Trial
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The jury in the trial of Officer William Porter will resume deliberations Wednesday morning after telling the judge Tuesday they're deadlocked. The judge ordered them to keep deliberating.
Rick Ritter with how the city is actively preparing in anticipation of a verdict.
Police across the state are on standby. The city is hoping they won't be needed, but is preparing for whatever unfolds.
Tuesday comes and goes without a verdict in the trial of Officer William Porter. While the city anxiously awaits, Baltimore police continue to prep.
"The community, quite frankly, expects us to be prepared, and we are," said Commissioner Kevin Davis, Baltimore City Police Department.
Other law enforcement agencies have arrived in Charm City. Police from Maryland State, Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County are now strategically placed across the area.
"They aren't going to be deployed unless they need to be deployed. They aren't brought in here to patrol the streets of Baltimore," said T.J. Smith, Baltimore City Police Department.
Downtown, barricades surround Mitchell Courthouse and city police headquarters in anticipation of protests.
"We don't want the lines to get blurred between protesters and people who want to violate the law and harm our city," said Smith.
With a verdict potentially just hours away, some businesses in West Baltimore are taking precautions.
The Bolton Hill Save-A-Lot that was looted during April's riots was boarded up Tuesday night.
Employees tell WJZ it's out of caution in case there's a repeat, while those in the community continue to pray for peace.
"I think it's just ridiculous for people to come in your own neighborhood, tearing up where you live at and you shop at every day," said one woman.
As the first trial inches closer to a verdict.
An emergency operations center has been set up at city police headquarters so they can monitor what's happening on the ground.
The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services has said it's also making preparations for this week.
