Van Hollen Applauds Court Decision Denying DOJ Effort to Delay Baltimore Consent Decree

Today U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen issued the following statement applauding today's court decision to deny the Department of Justice's (DOJ) request to delay the Baltimore consent decree:

"I applaud Judge Bredar for stepping in at this critical moment for Baltimore. The Department of Justice's effort to delay the consent decree with the Baltimore City Police Department was deeply misguided and was met with immediate opposition from the Congressional Delegation, Mayor Pugh, the Police Department, and many civil rights groups. I urge both the court and Attorney General Sessions to allow Baltimore to move forward to finalize the consent decree so the City can continue its reform efforts."

BACKGROUND:

The tragic death of Freddie Gray revealed the deep divisions between the Baltimore City Police Department (BPD) and Baltimore residents. The Obama Justice Department conducted a thorough year-long investigation and found that the BPD frequently violated the Constitutional rights of City residents. The City and BPD negotiated terms of a consent decree with the Department of Justice, and it is imperative that the decree is immediately implemented to restore trust and move forward. Yesterday, members of the Maryland delegation wrote to the Department of Justice to express frustration with the Department of Justice's effort to delay the proceedings for a second time.