Baltimore City Council moves toward amending charter and code to control police department
BALTIMORE -- Two bills could bring Baltimore City closer to having total control over its police department for the first time in more than 150 years.
Previously, the Baltimore Police Department was run by the state.
Councilman Mark Conway introduced the bills Monday night.
"Baltimore City is the only jurisdiction in Maryland without complete local control over its police department," Conway said at a city council meeting on Monday.
In November of last year, voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of giving local control over the Baltimore Police Department to Baltimore City as of Jan. 1.
However, more work is still needed to make it a done deal.
"The Baltimore City Council now has the authority to legislate on the Baltimore City Police Department, but it exists in a pretty gray area," Conway said.
The bills Councilman Conway introduced would amend the city's charter and code, adding more specific language about the Baltimore Police Department as a city agency.
WJZ spoke to city residents who said they're ready for the change to be official.
"It seems to me that it makes more sense that it should be controlled by people in the city that know the city the best," Sally Johnston of Baltimore said.
The bills will go to the council's Committee of the Whole. After that, the council will vote on the bills and then the mayor would have to approve them.
One of the two bills would have to be approved by voters next year, too.
On top of all of that, the Maryland Legislature would have to remove language from the city's charter that limits the city's power over the Baltimore Police Department during its next session.
There are two hearings coming up where the bills that have been introduced will be discussed.
Those hearings are set for Nov. 29 and Dec. 6 at 5 p.m.
The public is invited to share their thoughts on the bills at the hearings.
