Prince George's Lays Out a Plan To Reduce Crime

The police chief also said the criminal justice system has contributed to the 57 percent recidivism rate in the county. "We must find a way to stop the revolving door," High said. "We can lock up all the criminals, but if they do not stay in jail, we have not solved the problem. The system has to work in its entirety."

State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey, who attended the news conference, said his office is committed to working with police and the county administration to reduce crime. "It's clear we're all working together," Ivey said.

Ivey recently called for increased coordination with federal law enforcement agencies and a broader look at homicide patterns.

High referred to the county as an "urban center," and he said the crime problem has been challenging for the department. "The reality is that violent crime is a part of our society, and to curb it takes deep thought, assessment and analysis of the circumstances of our community to develop a plan unique to our county," he said.

Rushern L. Baker III, who plans to challenge Johnson for the Democratic nomination in 2006, said the department is full of "failed policies," and he called for a new crime fighting plan. He has called several times for High's resignation.

"If you're coming out with the same plan you had eight months ago, it's not working," Baker said. "It sounds like the same thing they've been doing, which clearly is not working. The numbers are much worse. You look at homicides compared to last year, it's off the charts."

Percy Alston, president of the Prince George's police union, said he was "appalled" by the homicide numbers.

"I'm not happy with that statistic. I don't think any police officer is happy with that," Alston said. "Our goal is zero crime in the county. We should be able to bring crime down. Once we get resources in place and the right strategy, we're going to get that done."

Staff writer Ovetta Wiggins contributed to this article.