Council President Young issues statement on the upcoming hearings for Police Commissioner Nominee Dr. Joel Fitzgerald

BALTIMORE, MD - “The City Council’s process to consider the nomination of Dr. Joel Fitzgerald, Mayor Catherine Pugh’s nominee to lead the Baltimore City Police Department, is currently underway.

Confirmation hearings will be held in two parts: January 5, 2019 is reserved for members of the City Council to hear directly from the public. A second hearing will be held on January 7, 2019 to allow the City Council to question Dr. Fitzgerald. 

On Saturday, January 5, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., members of the public will have an opportunity to speak directly with the City Council’s Executive Appointments Committee. The purpose of the January 5 public hearing is to allow citizens a direct line to their elected representatives who are tasked with considering this particular nomination. Dr. Fitzgerald will not be in attendance at the January 5 public hearing. That day is reserved for members of the public to share their thoughts directly with the City Council. We want to hear from you in advance of our vote on the nominee. Your role is critical and will come on the heels of the Council holding a second public hearing to question Dr. Fitzgerald.

If you would like to submit written testimony, please feel free to forward your remarks to me at councilpresident@baltimorecity.gov

On Monday, January 7 at 5:00 p.m., the Executive Appointments Committee will hold a hearing to question Dr. Fitzgerald. The January 7 hearing is open to the public. Public testimony will not be permitted, but citizens are invited to attend and observe the Council’s questioning of Dr. Fitzgerald.

Should you wish to speak directly with Dr. Fitzgerald, the Mayor’s office has arranged two ‘Community Meet and Greets.’ The first will be held on Sunday, January 6, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Jewish Community Center at 5700 Park Heights Avenue. The second event will be held Sunday, January 6, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Morgan State University’s Business Center at 4200 Hillen Road.

As members of the City Council, we take seriously our roles in the confirmation process. We want to make sure that our actions are informed by the citizens we’re elected to represent. That’s why I’ve taken several unprecedented steps, such as leading a four-person delegation of Councilmembers to Fort Worth, TX to conduct a background investigation into Dr. Fitzgerald and adding a full-day of public testimony on a Saturday in order to generate robust public participation. Your thoughts matter to us and we look forward to hearing directly from the citizens of Baltimore.

A report detailing findings of the Council delegation’s background visit to Fort Worth will be publicly available in advance of the first confirmation hearing on January 5," Baltimore City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young