Protesters claim new Johns Hopkins police force endangers students, is not needed despite violent crime on campus
Several black activist organizations and unions recently staged a protest against the newly formed Johns Hopkins Police Department.
Organizers claimed that the department puts students and residents at risk and that it is altogether unnecessary despite violent crime on campus.
Demonstrators recently held a protest against a newly formed university police department.
A coalition of demonstrators, including activists from the Baltimore Abolition Movement (BAM), Baltimore Teachers Union (BTU), JHU Grad Workers Union, and the Hospital Workers Union staged a protest against the Johns Hopkins Police Department.
Protesters are calling for a city council hearing to disband the department, which was created only a year ago. They want to see the city police leave the Memorandum of Understanding it has with JHPD, which allows the private campus department to respond to calls within its jurisdiction.
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The demonstrators claim that the department is altogether unnecessary, with one commenting that having the police force “isn’t actually about what’s proven in terms of public safety.”
“We just don’t understand why Hopkins wants to have more cops in cars with guns,” said another. “There are going to be occasional violent crimes, but they don’t justify the need for an entirely new police department. We have a Baltimore Police Department.”
The university’s crime log shows that it received 50 reports of theft (including 14 motor vehicle thefts), 16 reports for various types of assault, and even an attempted rape.
”The university is worried that parents won’t send their children to Baltimore because they think it’s unsafe, and that if they have a police department, maybe it will make those parents feel more comfortable, but that’s not what actually brings down crime,” another protester asserted.
Baltimore residents experience violent crime at a rate much higher than in other cities nationwide, according to FBI crime data. Security.org reported that in 2024, Baltimore had a crime rate of 1,606.2 per 100,000, which was almost 350% higher than the national average.
Prior to the protest, organizers attempted to thwart the department before it was even formed. The Coalition Against Policing by Hopkins attempted to sue over the MOU between the city and university departments, but the lawsuit was dismissed.
The school does not appear to be changing course, remarking in a statement, “Johns Hopkins is committed to building and supporting a safe environment for our students, faculty, staff, patients, and neighbors. The Johns Hopkins Police Department upholds the highest standards of constitutional, accountable law enforcement, working to address the root causes of crime and establish community trust.”
All relevant parties have been contacted for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
