From Justin Fenton, The Baltimore Sun
Baltimore Police say they have received a “credible threat” that rival gangs have teamed up to “take out” law enforcement officers.
Police said in a statement that they have received information that members of “various gangs” — including the Black Guerrilla Family, the Bloods and the Crips — have “entered into a partnership” to harm police.
“Law enforcement agencies should take appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of their officers,” police said.
Capt. Eric Kowalczyk, the agency’s chief spokesman, said he could not immediately elaborate on how the information was received or why police found it credible. He would not say whether it was believed connected to the ongoing demonstrations regarding the death of Freddie Gray.
In December, the Baltimore FBI office issued a memo that the Black Guerrilla Family gang was targeting “white cops” in Maryland, an agency spokeswoman confirmed.
The memo, circulating among officers, said a contact who had given reliable information in the past said members of the gang — connected to the high-profile corruption scandal at the Baltimore City Detention Center — were planning to target white officers to “send a message.”
And in January, police were on heightened alert after a man brought a gun into the Northeastern District police station with a handgun and said it was part of a “security test” ordered by the BGF.
