Baltimore ending ID checkpoint in Fells Point after Labor Day
The ID checkpoint established in July for Baltimore's Fells Point entertainment district is set to end after Labor Day weekend, Mayor Brandon Scott's office said Monday.
With the checkpoint in place, residents looking to enter Fells Point were asked to present a physical ID or the verified TSA phone wallet app. A picture of a person's ID captured on a cellphone was not acceptable.
The checkpoint was put in place, along with other safety policies, to minimize dangers, such as fights, threats of violence, outside alcohol consumption, and marijuana use, the mayor's office said.
Along with checking IDs, Baltimore police also enforced other policies, including a ban on outside alcoholic beverages. At the checkpoints, police officers reserved the right to inspect all bags for weapons, and all children ages 17 and under were required to be accompanied by an adult 25 or older with a valid ID.
The checkpoints appeared to be successful in deterring some criminal activity, such as preventing juveniles from accessing bars, according to the mayor's office.
"Throughout the summer and since Sail250 weekend, BPD has documented a slight decrease in aggravated assaults and robberies in the Fells Point neighborhood, compared to the same time period last summer with similar numbers of 911 calls across both time periods," the mayor's office said in a statement to CBS News Baltimore.
The statement went on to say, "additionally, the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) has recorded an 87% decline in ground-level engagements since the Sail250 weekend. Compared to last year, average attendance at the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs Rock the Block events has increased by 15% (145 attendees per event in 2026 vs. 126 per event in 2025)."
Multiple people arrested on weapons charges in Fells Point
The end of the checkpoint comes after Baltimore police recently arrested multiple people on weapons charges after they were accused of driving recklessly and hindering traffic in the entertainment district.
Officers were conducting an enforcement when they "observed a vehicle performing donuts, driving recklessly, and obstructing traffic," said a statement posted on social media. "Three passengers were observed hanging out of the vehicles windows. As officers approached, the vehicle fled the scene."
Police found the vehicle a short time later in the 200 block of Bethel Street. The people in the car had left the vehicle, but police were able to locate three female passengers, ages 46, 33, and 30.
During the search of the vehicle, officers found two loaded handguns, one of which had the serial number scratched out.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as 34-year-old Demetrius Thompson, and a search warrant was initiated at a home in the 1700 block of E. Federal Street.
"During the search, officers recovered six additional firearms, including rifles, as well as various firearm accessories," police said.
BPD said Thompson was not allowed to own a gun due to his prior convictions. He also had a warrant for his arrest from the Baltimore City Sheriff's Office.
