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According to Gupta, investigators talked to residents from “every corner of Baltimore, from Roland Park to Sandtown.” Officials interviewed command staff and rank and file officers; participated in ride alongs in each police district; met with leaders of police unions, religious organizations, advocacy groups, and neighborhood associations; and reviewed their reports and publications. The findings will form the basis for the first steps toward a negotiated settlement, or a “consent decree,” in which police training and practices will be overhauled under court supervision.

The official report has been released to the public, and the following are key takeaways, changes that the city plans to implement, and reaction from local politicians and community leaders.

Baltimore police routinely violated civil rights, which disproportionately affected the city’s black residents.

“African Americans bore the brunt of the civil rights violations,” DOJ’s Gupta said this morning at the press conference.

The report noted that officers recorded more than 300,000 pedestrian stops from January 2010 to May 2015. Roughly 44-percent were made in two small, predominantly African-American districts that contain just 11-percent of the city’s population, and African Americans accounted for 95-percent of the 410 individuals the police department stopped at least 10 times. Black pedestrians were 37-percent more likely to be searched by Baltimore police citywide and 23-percent more likely to be searched during vehicle stops. But officers found contraband twice as often when searching white residents during vehicle stops and 50-percent more often during pedestrian stops, the report notes.

“It troubles me to read how frequently the Baltimore City Police Department has engaged in various disturbing patterns or practices,” said Congressman Elijah Cummings in a statement, “including excessive use of force and unjustified and severe disparities in the rates of stops, searches, and arrests of African Americans.”

Officers frequently used excessive force in situations that did not call for it.

“We also found a pattern of practice of excessive force,” Gupta said. “Officers frequently resorted to physical force when a person did not immediately respond to verbal commands, even when the person was posing no immediate threat to the officer or others. Officers were ending up in unnecessary violent confrontations with people with mental health disabilities.” The report also noted that officers also routinely used unnecessary force against juveniles, implementing the “same aggressive tactics they use with adults.”

The system hasn’t allowed officers to be properly overseen, trained, or held accountable.

“This report is not an indictment of every man and woman in the Baltimore Police Department,” Police Commissioner Davis stated. Additionally, the report heavily detailed that many officers are not properly trained, due to lack of emphasis on training and lack of infrastructure. “BPD lacks adequate staff to train its officers efficiently; its training facilities are outdated, ill-repaired, and often unable to accommodate modern training methods; and BPD lacks mechanisms to track officer attendance and performance to ensure that officers receive and understand the training they need to engage in safe, effective, constitutional policing,” the report said.

The DOJ also noted that accountability, or lack thereof, is a major problem primarily because the department lacks adequate systems to investigate complaints, discourages the public from filing complaints, and fails to consistently document the results of its investigations.

Baltimore police have been negligent in cases of sexual assault.

In the report, investigators said they were “troubled” by the fact that Baltimore Police detectives showed an “an undue skepticism of reports of sexual assault.” Examples included negligence in testing rape kits, making minimal effort to locate suspects, and mistreatment of women victims and transgender individuals in sexual assault cases. In general, the report states, that the Baltimore Police Department’s investigative policies make it “more difficult to uncover the truth when sexual assault allegations are made.”

“Change is painful. Growth is painful. But nothing is more painful than being stuck in a place where we don’t belong,” said Commissioner Davis. “Some actions have no negotiations attached to them, and that includes racial discrimination, sexual orientation, or any kind of bias-based policing.”

Baltimore City is revamping its approach to officer accountability.

“It’s not going to be easy and it’s not going to be quick, but I’m committed to reform,” Mayor Rawlings-Blake said at the press conference this morning. According to a statement released by the mayor, the city has already revised 26 key police department policies, most notably its use of force policy. “We are now training all officers on these new policies, and we have held additional trainings on key issues that Justice has identified,” the statement said. The statement also explained that the city will continue to adapt how the use of force by officers is reviewed and how officers are disciplined.

Initiatives are underway to improve the Police Department’s transparency and community engagement.

“I regard this as government doing what it should have already been doing,” said Councilman Brandon M. Scott. “It’s like a huge taste of ‘too little, too late.’”

The idea of improved transparency and creating a community dialogue is something that has been continuously stressed by the Mayor and Police Commissioner. Initiatives such as more officers on foot and community patrols have already taken place. The Mayor also mentioned that the city is exploring implementing more citizen inclusion in the department’s disciplinary process, particularly looking at the resources allocated for the Civilian Review Board.

Baltimore City is investing to modernize the Police Department.

Mayor Rawlings-Blake said that the city “doesn’t have a blank check,” but anticipates spending $5-$10 million per year on DOJ implementation. Some of that spending will surely be invested in technology and infrastructure to modernized the department.”

Already, the mayor said in a written statement, “the BPD has begun retrofitting transport vans to improve safety for occupants and officers as well as installing recording cameras inside the vans.” She also mentioned that the department has completed a body-worn cameras pilot program and will roll out cameras for all officers within the next two years.

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Roswell Encina, director of communications for Enoch Pratt, said that the project was only anticipated to take 18 months, but contractors ran into unforeseen roadblocks.

“We’re so grateful to the Canton community more than anything,” he said. “They’ve been so patient with us. We’ve been asked about the opening so many times and we’ve shared everyone’s frustrations because we know how passionate people are about it.”

The Canton Square fixture is the last of the original four Enoch Pratt libraries that is still functioning and, coincidentally, its re-opening overlaps with the month of the building’s 130th anniversary.

At Friday morning’s event, community members toured the refurbished branch, which now boasts an ADA compliant entrance, updated floor plan, newly designed meeting room, 13 public computers, free WiFi, self-checkout systems, and a 15,000-volume collection. Soon, the space will feature additional interior touches, like waterfront-themed wall murals that reflect the character of the neighborhood.

Among those in attendance was 95-year-old Mollie K. Witow, who vividly remembers her experiences at the Canton branch as a young girl.

“The atmosphere was so wonderful and enveloping,” Witow said. “I remember the librarian, Mrs. Gough, wore a starch white shirt and a long billowing white skirt with shoes that you had to buckle. The first book that she gave me to read was called The Keeper of the Flame. It was about an Indian father who taught his son to leave little objects along a path so people would know to follow him.”

Remarks made by Enoch Pratt CEO Carla D. Hayden and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake emphasized the library’s historical significance, referencing speeches made by their predecessors when the building first opened in 1886.

“Being able to celebrate the completion of this four-year renovation project marks a major milestone for Baltimore and I hope that this re-opening also demonstrates how dedicated our city is to preserving its legacy,” Rawlings-Blake said. “When this library opened 130 years ago, the mayor at that time, Mayor James Hodges, observed that it was a ‘noble event in the history of Baltimore that marks an epoch in its progress.’ How right he was.”

Encina stressed how important the support of the Canton community was throughout the renovation efforts. Specifically, he noted that fundraisers for the project—spearheaded by community leaders like Maryland State Delegate Peter Hammen and Canton Community Association president Sean Flanagan—raked in nearly $275,000.

The grand opening festivities will continue this weekend, with highlights including a balloon sculptor, a slide-illustrated talk by local photographer Denny Lynch, and a re-launch of the beloved Mother Goose Baby Steps program.

“There always used to be a long line of strollers parading into the library for story time and we’re hoping for that kind of thing to happen again,” Encina said. “The babies who were there for story time when the branch closed are bigger now, and we’re excited to re-introduce it to them.”

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Nicknamed Winter Storm Jonas, the storm surpassed the city’s largest snowfalls, including the “Knickerbocker” snowstorm in 1922 and the blizzards of 1983, 1996, and 2003. It also eclipsed the 2010 back-to-back blizzards individually, not combined.

Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency beginning Friday and officials say it could take several days to clear all of the snow.

“We received a season’s worth of snow in just two days,” Hogan said at a press conference today.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake also held a press conference today at 10 a.m. and advised citizens to stay off of the roads, unless they “absolutely have to.”

The mayor said that the city is in Phase II, which means all vehicles on the road have to have snow tires and there should be no parking along snow emergency routes.

Baltimore City Schools, along with many other government institutions, have announced they will be closed on Monday.

“I’m asking for patience,” Rawlings-Blake said. “I urge everyone to continue to look out for your neighbors during this historic snowstorm.”

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Following Judge Barry G. Williams declaring a mistrial Wednesday afternoon, tensions grew amongst demonstrators, as a scuffle broke out and at least one protestor was arrested and brought inside the courthouse.

“I’m mad. I’m upset. But I am also not surprised,” said Justin Sanders, 32, of West Baltimore outside the courthouse. “How can anybody be surprised anymore?”

The mistrial was declared after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict to acquit or find Porter guilty of involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, misconduct in office, or reckless endangerment. Attorneys are due in court tomorrow to set a retrial date.

“It’s part of the process,” said community organizer J.C. Faulk outside the courthouse. “What the city is doing is delaying the inevitable.” While clearly not happy with the court’s ruling, he added, “Now is not the time to put bodies on the line.”

Following the announcement, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake immediately released a statement, urging citizens to “respect the outcome of the judicial process . . . I urge everyone to remember that collectively our reaction needs to be one of respect for our neighborhoods, and for the residents and businesses of our city.”

Congressman Elijah Cummings echoed the mayor’s sentiment in a statement released Wednesday evening.

“With the eyes of the world on Baltimore City, we must ensure that any protests that take place are peaceful, and we must ensure that the process of healing our community continues,” Cummings said in the statement. “We must continue to channel our emotions into strong, positive change, so that, as a city, we truly see our young men of color before it is too late.”

Similarly, mayoral candidate and City Councilman Nick Mosby released a statement saying, “As a city, we must come together and continue the healing process of working to rebuild trust and improve community-police relations for the safety of residents and our police officers.”

Gene Ryan, president of the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police, called the decision “obviously frustrating” in a statement.

“Officer Porter and his attorneys will continue, with the full support of the Fraternal Order of Police, to press for his acquittal,” Ryan said.

City State’s Attorney prosecutors Michael Schatzow and Janice Bledsoe, pictured, left the courthouse without speaking to the media.

As Wednesday evening went on, protestors continued to march from the courthouse to City Hall, just a block away.

Amongst the demonstrators was City Councilman Carl Stokes, who said, to him personally, it was “most bothersome” that Porter’s defense attorneys made the case that their client was not guilty because “nobody follows the rules,” in terms of seat-belting arrestees in transport vans.

Stokes was also upset at the defense for putting all the blame on not securing Gray on the van driver and, ultimately, making the case that it didn’t matter whether Porter called for medical assistance or not because Gray would not have survived his catastrophic injury regardless.

“[Porter] and his fellow officers are accountable and responsible for Freddie Gray’s death,” he said. “But there is a systemic issue as well. There is a culture that has developed within the police department that some of our citizens’ lives are worthless.”

Also following the trial closely was Tessa Hill-Aston, NAACP Baltimore chapter president.

“I’m disappointed,” she said. “I sat in court each day and heard medical testimony and everything else. I know Freddie Gray was in pain. I heard testimony that made me cringe about the pain he was in. And nobody called for help. Somebody has to be responsible and accountable for that.”

Hill-Aston added that she expects protests this evening in the city, but hopes no one will do anything that ends up in an arrest.

“We know what can happen to people when they get locked up,” she said. “I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt.”

Additional reporting was contributed by senior editor Ron Cassie.

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“I love Baltimore in the wintertime and this rink is the icing on the cupcake,” Mayor Rawlings-Blake said. “Plus, it’s a great place to have a cheap date.”

The mayor recalled skating in Baltimore when she was a young girl, as there was an ice rink on Rash Field that was created in 1988. The rink stayed open until 1991, reopened in 1993, closed again in 2002, and then was open seasonally from 2003-2005.

“I did my first show here in Baltimore 10 years ago,” Meissner said. “I’m excited the rink is back and I’m excited to be here.”

Both the mayor and Meissner tested out the ice rink first, along with regional dance troupe The Next Ice Age. “I’ll let you guys have all of that middle space,” Rawlings-Blake said as she gingerly made her way around the rink’s wall.

Then the rink was opened up to the public. The ice itself is still a bit bumpy with some frozen leaves and debris, but a few more nights of skating or Zamboni treatment should do the trick.

The outdoor rink will be open seasonally, until January 19. There are hockey skates available for rent for $3, admission to the rink is $9, and a season pass is available for $175. Just in time for the holidays, it will remain open on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

A nice touch is that Thursday-Sunday, there will be food and refreshments available from local food trucks. Today, La Cakerie served hot cocoa, cider, coffee, and donuts—which was much appreciated in the 30-degree temperatures.

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Vanity Fair took notice of her modern and tasteful approach to dressing for every occasion from her hairdo, to her well-tailored jackets, to her heel choice. 

During our interview with her (and a handful of other powerful women in leadership roles in Baltimore) for the
“Shattering the Glass Ceiling” feature, she explained her take on personal style and thoughts on wardrobe choices saying, “For me, I do feel like it’s the one thing I can do to bring in a little creativity. Depending on what you are doing, you are projecting.”  

Image courtesy of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Facebook page. 

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