Baltimore mayor FIRES police commissioner as city murder rate spikes in the wake of Freddie Gray's death

  • Anthony Batts was kicked out of his post by Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
  • Immediately replaced by his deputy, Kevin Davis on Wednesday
  • Came just after Baltimore's 156th murder of the year - a huge spike
  • The rate has increased 48 per cent on 2014, with 12 in past week
  • Wave of violent crime began after protests over Gray's death in custody
  • Officers have said they feel demoralized and are being less proactive for fear of complaints and prosecution  

The mayor of Baltimore has fired the city's police commissioner after murder rates spiked under his watch and the city was consumed by rioting.

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake kicked out commissioner Anthony Batts on Wednesday afternoon, saying that he had become 'a distraction' from the task of making the Maryland city safer.

She replaced Batts, who was on a salary in excess of $200,000, with his deputy, Kevin Davis, who was promoted to the top spot with immediate effect.

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Fired: Anthony Batts, who was hired in 2012, was kicked out of his position Wednesday afternoon
Tough: Stephanie Rawlings-Blake made the announcement and said Batts was 'a distraction'

Out: Anthony Batts, left, was ejected from his position by Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Wednesday afternoon. She said he had become 'a distraction'

New man on top: Kevin Davis, pictured, has now replaced Batts at the city's chief commissioner from his role as deputy

New man on top: Kevin Davis, pictured, has now replaced Batts at the city's chief commissioner from his role as deputy

Rawlings did not give a detailed reason for the sacking in a news conference on the announcement.

However, she implied that the soaring murder rate, up 48 per cent on 2014, is behind the decision.

She told reporters: 'We cannot continue to have the level of violence, particularly over recent weeks, we've seen in our city'.

More than 155 people have been killed so far in Baltimore this year. The city recorded its 156th killing at 1:20pm Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Baltimore Sun, which has a dedicated webpage to track homicides in the city, 12 people have been killed this week. The vast majority of deaths have been shootings.

On his watch: Batts oversaw devastating riots which swept Baltimore after Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man, died in police custody

On his watch: Batts oversaw devastating riots which swept Baltimore after Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man, died in police custody

The spree of violence follows riots in Baltimore over the death in police custody of Freddie Gray, a young black man whom prosecutors say was unlawfully arrested.

Six officers are awaiting trial on charges as serious as murder after Gray was allegedly sent flying after being poorly secured in the back of a station wagon, leaving him with a severed spine.

Thousands took to the streets in outrage over the death, and the chaos which ensued left homes and businesses burning and riot officers deployed to the streets.

Emotions flared for almost a week under order was restored - but many police officers felt the swift action taken by state's attorney Marilyn Mosby to indict the officers who took Gray into custody left them at risk of similar action.

Demoralized? Police officers have suggested that they are adopting a 'hands-off' approach to fighting crime, for fear of complaints and prosecution. This could be behind the soaring murder rate

Demoralized? Police officers have suggested that they are adopting a 'hands-off' approach to fighting crime, for fear of complaints and prosecution. This could be behind the soaring murder rate

Chaos: The city was plunged into disorder by riots over Gray, and a spree of violence has reigned every since

Chaos: The city was plunged into disorder by riots over Gray, and a spree of violence has reigned every since

In May, officers told the Baltimore Sun that their morale is flagging and that they were being less active in their efforts to prevent violent crime and bring the worst offenders to justice.

Speaking of some colleagues, whom he did not name, Lieutenant Kenneth Butler said: 'I'm hearing it from guys who were go-getters, who would go out here and get the guns and the bad guys and drugs. They're hands-off now.'

Similar theories have been put forward in other cities where police activity has come under intense scrutiny.

Police Chief Sam Doston of St Louis, whose officers were involved in policing the riots in Ferguson, Missouri, after Michael brown was shot, said that the 'criminal element is feeling empowered' by anti-police sentiment.

According to his terms of employment, Batts can be sacked by the mayor with no compensation if she has 'just cause', reasons for which include 'dereliction of duty', drug of alcohol problems and being charged with a felony.

If she terminates his contract for any other reason, he is entitled to a $190,000 payout.

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