Police are canceling scheduled leave for officers in Baltimore this Saturday to meet the demands of an anti-violence strategy while protecting Pride festivities.
Media outlets report that police spokesman T. J. Smith said Thursday that top commanders want a particularly strong presence this year after last year's attack at a Florida gay nightclub and protests at last weekend's Pride parade in Washington.
June is National LGBT Pride Month, and Baltimore celebrates pride weekend with a parade Saturday and a festival Sunday at Druid Hill Park.
Earlier this week, Commissioner Kevin Davis' announced that patrol officers and detectives would work 12-hour shifts, instead of the standard 10-hour shifts, after six homicides in 24 hours.
