Maryland Republican leaders say there is too much politics involved in what needs to be a speedy statewide investigation of federal charges of corruption at the Baltimore City Detention Center. On their tour of the BCDC today, newly elected House Republican Leader NicKipke took Governor O’Malley and his administration to task for not doing enough about the city jail corruption case in which 13 officers were charged. "They’re taking the least political, controversial approach to fixing this problem and hoping it goes away," he said. According to Kipke, the facility was built in the civil war era - parts of it are dilapidated and parts of the jail are not functional for modern times. "You can’t have cells where the doors have to be opened by a guard. In modern facilities, you have a computer that opens the door," he added.
Delegate John Cluster, a former police officer, said this facility lacks major safety basics. For example, at modern facilities, one door to a cell will not open until another shuts. "That’s not happening here – you can open all 25 doors at the same time. And that’s concerning," Cluster said.
The Maryland GOP leaders said rebuilding the facility would cost 300 million dollars. They had no specific suggestions for a funding source, but called on the governor to get moving.