In one of her first acts as U.S. attorney general, Loretta Lynch announced Friday that the Department of Justice will launch a civil rights investigation into the practices of the Baltimore Police Department:
“This investigation will begin immediately and will focus on allegations that Baltimore Police Department officers use excessive force including deadly force, conduct unlawful searches, seizures, and arrests, and engage in discriminatory policing,” Lynch said.
The unrest in Baltimore last week, and the tensions it exposed between the police and community, is the first major test of Lynch’s tenure.
“Our goal is to work with the community, public officials, and law enforcement alike to create a stronger, better Baltimore,” Lynch said.
Controversy has surrounded the Baltimore PD ever since Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African-American, died of a severe spinal cord injury after being held in police custody. Investigators with Baltimore City state’s attorney’s office determined Gray’s death to be a homicide, but a separate investigation by the Baltimore police task force concluded there isn’t enough evidence to support homicide charges. Ceasar Goodson, Jr., the officer who transported Gray in a police van, has been charged with with second-degree depraved-heart murder, manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, and misconduct. Five other officers have also been charged.
The DOJ investigation will examine the policing patterns and practices of the entire Baltimore PD. A separate DOJ investigation will aim to determine whether Gray’s civil rights were violated.