City Council Hearing: Public Safety; November 10, 2026

The Baltimore City Council Public Safety Committee held a hearing on November 10, 2026, on missing-person policies and data. Council members and advocates raised concerns about outdated publicly posted procedures, differences in response by age and vulnerability, staffing, cross-agency coordination, and the handling of cases involving Black and Latino residents. Baltimore Police Department (BPD) described its process, including immediate NCIC entry for missing-person reports, specialized-unit responsibility for children age 14 and under and qualifying vulnerable adults, district follow-up for other cases, and use of Axon for case management. BPD also described screening cases for trafficking indicators and a recent investment in technology to support that work. Members questioned the quality and comparability of district data, including a corrupted Northern District file, and called for clearer analysis and more consistent communication with families.

The discussion included the FY2027 budget listing of $2,248,479 for missing and exploited persons; Council Member Porter requested clarification within two weeks on whether that amount covers only the Missing Persons Unit or also district work. The committee also requested five years of staffing and turnover data, citywide totals and clearance rates broken down by age, and further clarification of case and district data. BPD agreed to follow up on the budget question and provide requested data; members also called for improved training, policy updates, and public information for families. No vote or contract award occurred: the committee recessed the hearing and said it would hold a follow-up hearing.