By Rhonda A. Spears
April 14, 2003

Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, Chair of the Conference's Homeland Security Task Force, showcased his city and shared homeland security strategies with Britain's top law enforcement officer and possible future prime minister, David Blunkett.

Blunkett, the British Home Secretary, traveled to Baltimore on April 1 to talk with Mayor O'Malley about homeland security tactics and policing strategies, which he heard were more progressive in Baltimore than elsewhere, according to his staff.

O'Malley, following the Home Secretary's visit, said, "I was very impressed with the Home Secretary's understanding that public safety is the foundation of all higher political action and civic engagement. Unless there is community involvement and support for public safety, we can't expect our people to be engaged in workforce development, job creation, school improvements and rebuilding of our neighborhoods. Human nature, fortunately, is the same on both sides of the Atlantic. People need to feel safe and secure in their neighborhoods in order to achieve greater progress for their families and neighbors."

After a welcoming ceremony and lunch at city hall, O'Malley took Secretary Blunkett to a Pigtown neighborhood community center where he learned about a new program in which court officials hand out community service as a punishment for quality-of-life crimes, such as shoplifting and public urination.

"This has been a very important learning experience for me," said Blunkett. "A lot of things have clicked with me in terms of what we can do at home."

Conference Executive Director J. Thomas Cochran said, "This visit by Secretary Blunkett tells us that people are paying attention to mayors and seeking their advice on the issue of homeland security and community policing. We have always said that mayors are on the front line of defense in securing and safe guarding America's cities."

For the last two years, Blunkett has held a position in England that would be the rough equivalent of the combined jobs of U.S. Attorney General and Homeland Security director.

A member of Prime Minister Tony Blair's Cabinet, Blunkett also met with Attorney General John Ashcroft in Washington to sign a protocol on the extradition of criminal suspects. He also visited only one other city, New York, during his four-day tour.