Loretta Lynch took to the national media podium Friday morning to announce the Department of Justice will indeed investigate Baltimore police to check for patterns of unconstitutional practices and “discriminatory policing” patterns.
Her announcement was not a surprise.
Lynch hinted on Thursday during Capitol Hill testimony she would decide in “the coming days” if the federal civil rights division would look at the events that have transpired in Baltimore in recent days, a reference to the death of Freddie Gray and the protests against perceived police brutality that followed.
Friday, she spoke of the “tragic loss of a young man’s life” and the subsequent community clashes with police as a driving force into the federal government’s involvement.
“Today, the Department of Justice is opening an investigation into whether the Baltimore Police Department engaged in a pattern or practice of violations of the Constitution or federal law,” she said.
Specifically, she said the feds were going to check to see if police conducted unlawful searches and seizures, or engaged in any other targeted practices against residents.
Citing a “frayed trust” between police and residents, Lynch also said her department is going to check for “systemic violations” and a “pattern of discriminatory policing.”
Lynch said the feds will “examine policies, practices and available data” and issue a report in the future.
“If constitutional practices are found,” she said, “we will seek court-enforcement” to change the practices.
Effective immediately, the federal authorities will serve as technical assistants to the local police, Lynch said.
“We believe very strongly in the collaborative reform process,” she said, during the question-answer segment of the televised press conference.
She also said: “I’m optimistic about this process and I’m actually hopeful about the days and weeks to come … [we] will be able to create a stronger, a safer and a more united city.”
Lynch’s intervention came two days after Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake asked the Justice Department to kick off an investigation.
Six police officers have been charged with murder, assault, manslaughter and other offenses in the death of Freddie Gray.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said to local television WBAL he supports the investigation of his agency.
“I think it’s a good thing,” he said. “We could use the extra weight. Lawsuits are down. Citizen complaints are down. Officer-involved shootings are down. But the community doesn’t feel it.”
