Baltimore & Justice Department Agree On Police Reforms

The U.S. Justice Department and Baltimore announced Wednesday that they reached an agreement on sweeping police department reforms, Reuters reports.

“We’re going to get it done,” said Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, whose police department has been under a federal microscope over racially biased policing practices, the Baltimore Sun reported.

The mayor and U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch plan to discuss the details of their accord on Thursday. However, a federal judge must approve the agreement for it to become binding.

The 2015 death of Freddie Gray in police custody sparked several nights of unrest. It also surfaced the long-held grievances of the city’s Black community about law enforcement practices.

A Justice Department probe found that the Baltimore police regularly violate the constitutional rights of Black residents through the use of excessive force, unlawful searches and arrests, and racial discrimination.

The two sides will release details of the consent agreement on Thursday. It’s expected to require changes in police tactics, including street enforcement, response to sexual assault complaints, and interaction with protesters and the mentally ill, The Sun reported.

SOURCE: Reuters, Baltimore Sun

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