Thread by @bmoreProjects

Happening now: Live tweeting #BaltimoreConsentDecree quarterly meeting w Judge Bredar on "progress" of reform by 2022 Baltimore Police #MichaelHarrisonBPD #MosbyIndictment

https://twitter.com/bmoreProjects/status/1484177387017306115

Jim Shea and Lisa Walden signed in to represent Baltimore's electeds and presumably the will of the community. Judge Bredar begins with an opening statement.

BREDAR: Reform hasn't taken hold in Baltimore prior to #MichaelHarrisonBPD is to a small part due to a lack of intestinal fortitude of prior leaders and but primarily bc of the distraction of the murders (that Mayor Jack Young is NOT committing). #gunviolence #badpress #quotas

10 minutes into #PoliceReform statement & nothing yet by Bredar on systemic/institution racism or poverty or health disparities or hunger or substandard housing or incarcerated family members or jobs when talking abt large scale violence befuddling LE bc
the judge, too, is a cop

He ALMOST said it when he uttered "Multifaceted strategies" coupled with a reformed police department will be needed to address surging violence. Bredar, like many cops, have difficulty spelling out that preserving institutional racism is the root cause.
Next up: City Leaders

Jim Shea (the second white man to speak), city solicitor, introduced the architect of the #GTTF report requested by Judge Bredar to figure out just how LE criminals flourished in plain sight.

Michael Bromwich, an ex prosecutor/cop discusses his report on how criminals moonlighting as cops ie GTTF was ACCIDENTALLY uncovered by county LE while going after a black officer, Momodu Gondo as a suspected drug dealer

Bromwich sought to answer 2 questions in reviewing #GTTFCrimes
1. What motivated each individual officer to rob, sell drugs, lie, & harrass citizens routinely?
2. What weaknesses within BPD allow the criminal enterprise to flourish DECADES?
(HINT: PRESERVING INSTITUTIONALRACISM)

The GTTF study team reached out to all major GTTF criminals to answer the motivation concern.
Thomas Allers sent a letter said no thanks.
Rayam called and said "what's in it for me

Wayne Jenkins' former cell mate who introduced himself to investigators as his "agent" wanted a filmmaker present. While negotiations with investigators lasted over a year, Jenkins bailed.

No mention of GTTFer #JohnClewell's response to an interview to reveal cops' motivation. Anyone who follows GTTF, has enjoyed institutional/media cover and has evaded scrutiny tho it was Clewell who had a front seat during many of the crimes.

Bromwich reaches back to #MartinOMalley's tenure as mayor and cites his implementation of #ZeroTolerance and reliance upon Comstat/quotas and failed "integrity stings" with lacking effort by @BaltimoreSAO as the components that ultimately led to GTTF's emergence.

Time elapsed: 1 hour
Bromwich (irritatingly gleefully) recounts numerous anecdotes about Martin O'Malley in a fashion more suited to an HBO drama than the respect that resulting generational trauma deserves. Martin OMalley's policies reverberate today. #UrbanTrauma

Bromwich contrasts O'Malley as a micro-manager having politics driving policing with Mayor Sheila Dixon as more of a hands off who trusted her hires after rolling back OMalley era Zero Tolerance. BPD scandals tho never abetted tho violence ebbed and flowed.

Next up: Bromwich recounts Stephanie Rawling Blake's choice of Anthony Batts from California to lead the unique challenges of Baltimore. We sorta know how this ends up. #HoganSendsInNationalGuard

Wayne Jenkins was someone who needed watching ie a "cowboy" by the time Batts arrived w/o knowing or caring much about what GTTF was. This prompted Judge Bredar to chimes in was it incompetence or lack of will that allowed Jenkins flourish?
Answer: #DarrylDeSousa provided cover

Bromwich's smirks when recounting how LE protected one another with internal affairs consistently being a JOKE not wanting to discipline anybody are irritating af #CivilianReview

Ironic reminder from the court via ZOOM messaging: Proceedings are not to be recorded, broadcast or "otherwise transmitted" when convening on a state agency's lack of transparency that fosters corruption is rich. #CamerasInCourtRooms @ACLU_MD

After recounting anecdotes of criminal activity by scores of BPD individuals with little oversight or repercussions, Bromwich moves to his group's findings and recommendations on what the hell should be done with BPD (betting he won't say #defundBPD)

Numerous and repeated complaints by civilians (and on the "rare occasion" fellow officers) - fell on deaf ears ie a "global failure of accountability"
REALLY??????? #JoeCrystal #PolicingThemselves

Judge Bredar's camera is turned off while each of the other speakers are live and on camera. So each time he interjects, it gives a creepy Wizard of Oz vibe.
#WhatIsJudgeBredarHiding

The study group recommends having "an anonymous reporting mechanism" to receive cop on cop complaints which Harrison supports.
My recommendation: Why not just pay cops $10,000 for turning in bad ones (paid if it results in a firing).

Time elasped: 2 hours
Bromwich recommends MORE hiring, supervision, training and "careful" screening of plain-clothes
all requiring increase #BaltimorePolice funding. I'm a go scream into the void til the next presentation.
Link to the public hearing

https://twitter.com/BPD_CDIU/status/1483819212317630466?s=20

"micro management [vis-à-vis Martin O'Malley] is a terrible thing"- Commissioners who are mere proxies for the mayor undermine the confidence of the rank and file - leaving riot as the public's only recourse as the perennially unheard. As Bromwich wraps up.

Returned from break.
Next up #MichaelHarrisonBPD he starts with a joke about his wife. #BuckleUp

Michael Harrison's 3 minute statement went largely unnoticed bc I was zooming in on the new goatee he was rocking, embracing all of his gray/white hair. The wife joke though was funny. #mybad

I must not have been the only one distracted bc Judge Bredar didn't ask ONE follow up question or have a comment. NOT a single one considering all the doors kicked open by the Bromwich investigation report. #Confused Next up City Solicitor Jim Shea