Trying to save what is left of Baltimore.
Washington (AFP) – US Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Friday blasted an agreement to rein in Baltimore’s notorious police department, saying it would lead to more crime.
He criticized a federal judge’s approval of a consent decree that requires Baltimore police to implement sweeping reforms.
The agreement — which followed riots in the East Coast city after the 2015 death in police custody of 25-year-old Freddie Gray — forces the police to respect the rights of citizens, end harsh patrol tactics in black neighborhoods and use body cameras.
The Baltimore government and police agreed on the decree last year, but the new administration of President Donald Trump, promising to empower police to crack down on crime, sought to delay and modify it.
“Today, a federal court entered a consent decree that will require the court and a highly paid monitor to govern every detail of how the Baltimore Police Department functions for the foreseeable future,” Sessions said.
“While the Department of Justice continues to fully support police reform in Baltimore, I have grave concerns that some provisions of this decree will reduce the lawful powers of the police department and result in a less-safe city.”