Baltimore residents weigh in on new Fells Point safety policies

New security measures and checkpoints in Fells Point have taken effect after a string of teen takeovers in recent weeks.

The Mayor's Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment (MOACE) made the announcement via a social media post Friday night, encouraging Baltimoreans and Fells Point visitors to review the updated policies.

New Fells Point policies

The following policies have taken effect:

• No outside alcoholic beverages are allowed past entry checkpoints. All alcoholic beverages must be purchased and consumed inside the establishment.
• Police reserve the right to inspect all bookbags and oversized bags to ensure there are no weapons or alcoholic beverages. Refusal of inspection will result in no admission to the permitted event space.
• If you do not have a physical ID, or the verified TSA phone wallet app, you will not be allowed in the permitted space. No pictures of your ID on your phone will be accepted.
• All youth 17 years of age or younger must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 25 years of age with a valid identification.
• If you are within the permitted space and engaging in illicit behavior, you will be removed from the permitted space. This behavior includes but is not limited to fighting, threats of violence, outside consumption of alcohol and/or marijuana in the permitted space, etc.

In addition, unaccompanied minors should not be out after curfew. Curfew is set from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for 13-year-olds and under. For teens 14 to 17, it's 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

"Fells Point is open and ready to welcome you," the MOACE said. "These policies are designed to help create a safe, respectful, and enjoyable experience for everyone who visits."

"It's an important change."

Residents and visitors agree that the updated policy is necessary.

"You always feel safer when you see the presence, when you see the presence of the police or security," Baltimore County resident Joyce Angelini said.

"I feel like the changes are going towards the right direction," Fells Point resident Layrena Romero said.

"The amount of shootings that have happened in Fells the last couple of months has been an uptick that I don't think I've seen before," Baltimore resident Sophia Gana reported.

The safety changes came a month after Baltimore Police were called to disperse a large crowd in Fells Point. On that same weekend, Baltimore Police reported two shootings in the neighborhood.

"I'll see on like social media, it just gets wild out here," Daniel Jacks said.

"I think it stops a lot of people our age from going out at night because they're not sure what they're going to run into," another said.

Though some have their reservations about the policy.

"It could be good for the city in a sense that we're making it safer and we're cracking down on violence and stuff like that," Daniel Jacks said. "But, you know, profiling, I think that would kind of get worse."

"I think it's a good idea, but I think the way they need to go about it is to be meticulously planned, and just, everything needs to be broken out into how we can ensure everybody's feeling respected, safe, and that this is a racially inclusive environment," said Aladji Barra.