“In what other city does the police chief stand 100 yards from the riot line and command the response instead of hiding behind public relations and a desk? Only in baltimore,” one man wrote Batts late on April 27.

But a woman from Calgary, Alberta, said she didn’t like what she was seeing.

“Your press conference did more to confirm what the protesters have been saying about the attitude of the police toward civilians,” she wrote. “Until city official and administrators lead by example, nothing will change.”

“Good job Anthony,” another read. “You’ll never see me in Baltimore again.”

The emails, obtained by The Baltimore Sun in a public information request, were among dozens of messages Batts was receiving as the spotlight on the city intensified. Batts didn’t shield himself from such feedback — the emails show he had set up Google news alerts for his own name, the Baltimore Police Department, and City of Baltimore to receive notifications when news stories were posted.