David Eberhardt

1 Now that we have seen on tv HBO’s masterful “We Own this City” series on the details of the corrupt policing of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force from the book with the same title by ex Sunpapers reporter Justin Fenton- Executive Producers David Simon and George Pelecanos- what to say? David Simon was once, like Fenton, a Sunpapers reporter. Can only artists describe what is happening in our city? Are they the leaders to give meaning to the city’s violence? And possible solutions?!? The main character- Officer Wayne Jenkins, is played with such panache (by Jon Bernthal that we are drawn to him. I don’t think the real officer Jenkins was as charismatic as Bernthal. If the illegal perks he amassed enabled him to do a good job of getting guns off the street? Who is doing that now? The police have a horrible job and must be a band of brothers? The Gun TraceTask Force (GTTF) needs incentive- it neds it NOW!! High points in the series have characters speaking about the failed “war on drugs” and the Department of Justice’s failed Consent Decree. How little it will mean. has it meant anything? The series plainly shows mayoral and police corruption in an up close and personal way that Baltimore media never did.. We (Baltimoreans as well as Americns) owe Simon and Pelecanos a profound debt of gratitude- as we did with their previous classic “The Wire”. We can only hope present officials (such as Mayor Scott’s Mayor’s Office on Neihborhood Safety and Education (MONSE) working on the problems of violence in the city will consult with these artists- learn from them.Will they? Will media in our town shine such a light as has the series? This takes creativity and, as evil as he is shown to be, Officer Wayne Jenkins (only as Berntha portrays him- a fabulous acting job) only passion can can set this ship aright. Who owns this city? H @ H? heroin and homicide? From a progressive’s point of view: david eberhardt 81 poet/activist lives in B more