WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Justice Department opened an investigation into the BPD practices in May 2015, one month after 25-year-old African American man Freddie Gray died of spinal cord injuries sustained while in police custody.
Six officers were charged in connection with Gray's death; three were found not guilty and charges were dropped against the remaining three in July.
"We conclude that there is reasonable cause to believe that BPD engages in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Constitution and federal anti-discrimination law," Gupta stated.
"The pattern or practice results from systemic deficiencies that have persisted within BPD for many years and has exacerbated community distrust of the police, particularly in the African-American community," the report noted.
The city and BPD have entered into an agreement in principle to work together, with community input, to create a US federal court-enforceable consent decree addressing the department’s deficiencies, according to the report.
