Baltimore Picks New Orleans Chief To Lead Police Force After FWPD Chief Backs Out
BALTIMORE (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Just one day after Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald withdrew his name from contention, Baltimore's mayor has picked New Orleans Police Superintendent Michael Harrison as her nominee to lead the city's troubled force.
Mayor Catherine Pugh says Harrison will soon retire from the New Orleans Police Department with the intention of coming to Baltimore. She says he's "achieved clear, compelling and consistent results in reducing violent crime" and led a city under a federal consent decree similar to the one ramping up in Baltimore.
Harrison says he looks forward "to getting to Baltimore in the coming weeks to engage broadly with residents."
Chief Fitzgerald abruptly withdrew his name Monday morning after a rocky nomination process.
Fitzgerald was scheduled to be in Baltimore to attend a public hearing for his nomination, but canceled the appearance due to a medical emergency involving his 13-year-old son, who has brain cancer.
After FWPD sent an official tweet that Fitzgerald had removed his name from consideration for the position in Baltimore, the Chief issued a statement that said, in part --
"I will now focus on my child's next bout of brain surgery, and being home with family, my Fort Worth Police Department family... and this awesome community."
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
