Harris and Trump make final push in must-win Pennsylvania    Drones and snipers on standby to protect Arizona vote-counters    India's Modi condemns violence after Canada temple incident    Elon Musk can keep giving $1m to voters, judge rules    Al Ahli extends perfect start with 5-1 victory over Al Shorta    Mitrovic's hat-trick leads Al Hilal to 3-0 victory over Esteghlal    Tourism Development Fund launches "Tourism Empowerment" programs to enhance sustainable growth of SMEs    Saudi crown prince, Tunisian president review bilateral relations in phone call    SFDA Chief visits premier biotechnology and medical firms in China    Al-Khereiji: Collective action in combating terrorism is a must for achieving stability and prosperity    Saudi Awwal Bank becomes the Kingdom's first bank obtaining ISO certification for quality management system in operations    10 cooperation agreements signed during Saudi-Turkish Business Forum in Istanbul    Saudi Arabia's non-oil revenues grow 6% in 9 months while Q3 budget posts SR30 billion deficit    Quincy Jones, titan of US music, dies aged 91    Enhancing zakat, tax, and customs compliance takes center stage at the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Conference 2024    Neymar expected to join Al Hilal squad for AFC clash against Esteghlal, says coach Jesus    Al Qadsiah secure 2-0 victory over Al Ettifaq in first Eastern Derby since 2021    Hidden sugars in Asia's baby food spark concerns    HONOR unveils pre-order of the stunning HONOR MagicBook Art 14 Featuring an ultra-slim design, HONOR Eye Comfort Display and AI Cross-OS WorkStation    Teri Garr, Young Frankenstein and Tootsie star, dies at 79    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Baltimore mayor calls for federal investigation into police
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 07 - 05 - 2015

BALTIMORE — The mayor called on US government investigators on Wednesday to look into whether this city's beleaguered police department uses a pattern of excessive force or discriminatory policing.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said even though complaints of excessive force and lawsuits alleging misconduct are down over the last few years, “we all know that Baltimore continues to have a fractured relationship between the police and the community.”
The mayor's request came a day after new Attorney General Loretta Lynch visited the city and pledged to improve the police department, telling faith and community leaders “we're here to hold your hands and provide support.”
Justice Department spokeswoman Dena Iverson said in a statement that Lynch had received the mayor's request and “is actively considering that option in light of what she heard from law enforcement, city officials, and community, faith and youth leaders.”
Baltimore saw days of unrest after Freddie Gray, a black man, was taken into custody and suffered critical injuries. He died a week later. Protesters threw bottles and bricks at police during a riot on April 27, injuring nearly 100 officers. More than 200 people were arrested as cars and businesses burned.
A Baltimore Police Department spokesman had no immediate response to the mayor's request. An email and text message was not immediately returned.
The mayor also said officers would have body cameras by the end of the year.
The Justice Department is already investigating whether Gray's civil rights were violated, and six officers face charges in the arrest and death, ranging from assault to second-degree murder.
The new investigation the mayor called for is similar to one was done in Ferguson, Missouri, following the shooting of an unarmed, black 18-year-old man by a white police officer.
Such wide-ranging investigations look for patterns of discrimination within a police department. They can examine how officers use force and search and arrest suspects.
Baltimore City Council President Jack Young has been calling for such an investigation since October, his spokesman Lester Davis said.
“The only way we're going to get the kind of lasting and meaningful reforms that are going to produce results is through a full-scale civil-rights investigation,” Davis said.
At the time the Ferguson inquiry was announced in September, it was described as part of a broader Justice Department effort to investigate troubled police departments and, when pervasive problems are found, direct changes to be made. The department said then it has investigated 20 police departments for a variety of systemic misconduct in the past five years, more than twice the number of cases opened in the previous five years.
The investigations can sometimes result in a settlement known as a consent decree, in which the department agrees to make specific changes, and an outside monitor is appointed to make sure the police force complies with the agreement.
The Justice Department reached a court-supervised agreement in 2012 with the New Orleans Police Department that required the agency to overhaul its policies and procedures for use of force, training, interrogations, searches and arrests, recruitment and supervision. In April, it issued a harshly critical report of the police department in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that faulted the agency for a pattern of excessive force and called for an overhaul of its internal affairs unit. — AP


Clic here to read the story from its source.