The city of Baltimore has averaged nearly 300 murders per year for the last 30 years. In 2019, Baltimore had 348 homicides, more total murders than New York City—a city 15 times its population. With woeful statistics such as these, change needed to happen. That change came in the form of electing a new mayor with new ideas and a fresh perspective.
Directed by Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough, The Body Politic follows Baltimore native Brandon Scott as he campaigns to be the city’s next mayor. His platform? An extremely ambitious plan to combat violent crime in the city. Providing unfettered access to Scott as he traverses new terrain, The Body Politic is an artistic work that proves over-policing Black neighborhoods is inadequate and that solving complex problems takes more than time, but deeper understanding.
The term “body politic” refers to a group of persons politically organized under a single governmental authority. In the film, every roadblock imaginable sat in the path of Brandon Scott once he became mayor. He faced constant criticism for planning, the time taken to execute said plan, and how quickly the numbers (deaths) were increasing at that time. With the help of key figures like Erricka Bridgeford, Dante Johnson, Shantay Jackson, and Tater Barksdale, the group comes together in support of the mayor and the city to do what everyone said couldn’t be done.
While burning sage and speaking “blessings” with vulgarities may not be your cup of tea, Bridgeford should still get applauded for her efforts and her desire for a better Baltimore. An anti-violence organizer, she sticks close to the mayor and goes wherever needed, bringing positivity and any form of support the group or the city’s residents need. Bridgeford, along with Mayor Scott, worked in unison with the Director of Neighborhood Safety, Shantay Jackson, and Dante Johnson, Site Director of the Baltimore Safe Streets, Belair-Edison location. Barksdale was a leader in Safe Streets and gave his life to his work, literally; that’s how dedicated residents were in reviving their city.
Lacking local and statewide support while opposing a hard push for police intervention, Mayor Scott and his team worked together on a more humane approach to battling crime in West Baltimore. But Scott never wavered, knowing he would press on no matter who doubted his efforts. Scott, the youngest mayor in Baltimore’s history, went from having a paltry 10% of the vote to winning the election. Receiving a boost from the atrocity of George Floyd occurring the week before, everyone was ready for a new approach to crime that didn’t involve a heavier police presence.
Archival footage paints a grim picture of state officials, specifically former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, as their lack of support was costing the city valuable time and lives lost. Hogan, who often spoke about the mayor on TV, constantly refused his requests to meet. Scott made it clear that support from the state was critical to the effectiveness of their overall plan. That plan, the Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) was met with cynicism and heavy doubts. But after sticking to their plan and eventually getting Hogan’s support, they were able to move forward and bring about rapid change in a way that’s never been done before.
The film did an excellent job of catching raw, candid moments, including audio clips of exchanges with government officials and city leaders. The timing of this review (two days after election day) couldn’t be more appropriate as the film stands as an example of how important it is to elect leaders with a vision. Scott’s vision went against everything past leaders have said and done, leading to heavy doubt in the plan and his leadership. But bold change requires bold vision and Scott and his team proved to be the right choice for the city.
The Body Politic gets an 8.5 out of 10. One of the more powerful moments in the film occurred when Mayor Scott and Shantay read the names of those killed by gun violence. Pivoting from reading alphabetically, they read by age (youngest to oldest) which immediately created a gut-punch emotionally. The Bel-Air-Edison Safe Streets location ended the year with zero murders. During the first year of GVRS in the western district, homicides and shootings decreased by 30%. Naysayers often disparaged Scott because of the numbers. Now, they’re in his favor and often lauded as one of his best accomplishments.
The Body Politic will make its television premiere on Monday, November 25, 2024, at 10pm/9C (9pm in Maryland on MPT) on PBS and streaming simultaneously in the U.S. on all PBS-branded Apps.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of TBP
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Unrated (talk of death, violence, and suggestive language)
Runtime: 90 minutes
U.S. Release Date: November 25, 2024 at 10pm ET/9pmC on PBS