- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Baltimore Mayor to Hold City’s Police Accountable ‘If Change Not Made’

© REUTERS / Eric ThayerBaltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake speaks at a church in Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake speaks at a church in Baltimore, Maryland - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said that Police Department will be held accountable in case they fail to implement changes suggested by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to address possible discriminatory practices following the illegal arrest of African-American Freddie Gray.

Loretta Lynch takes her seat to testify before a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on her nomination to become U.S. attorney general on Capitol Hill in Washington January 28, 2015. - Sputnik International
US Attorney General ‘Actively Considering’ Baltimore Police Investigation
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Baltimore Police Department will be held accountable in case they fail to implement changes suggested by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to address possible discriminatory practices following the illegal arrest of African-American Freddie Gray, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a news conference on Wednesday.

“I am asking, that they [the DOJ] investigate what systematic changes or systemic challenges exist within our police department that can contribute to excessive force and discriminatory policing. At the end of this process, I will hold those accountable if change is not made,” the mayor said.

During the news conference, Rawlings-Blake also announced that she had asked the DOJ to launch an investigation into the Baltimore police practices to determine “if our police department has engaged in a pattern or practice of stops, searches or arrests that violate the 4th amendment.”

Baltimore shooting - Sputnik International
Crowds Gather After Police Arrest Baltimore Man With a Gun

The Baltimore mayor’s announcement comes a day after she met with the newly sworn-in US Attorney General Loretta Lynch in Baltimore.

Lynch’s visit to Baltimore followed the wave of violent riots that erupted after 25-year-old Gray was laid to rest last Monday. On April 27, the rioters looted stores, injured 20 police officers, destroyed 15 buildings and set 144 cars on fire, causing Rawlings-Blake to impose a week-long citywide curfew.

On Wednesday, Lynch said that she was “actively considering” pursuing the Baltimore police investigation upon Rawlings-Blake’s request.

Gray’s death came after a string of mostly African-Americans killings at the hands of police over the past year, causing massive protests against police brutality and unaccountability throughout the United States.

 

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала