Baltimore City Council adopts resolution to speed up process of securing control of police department

BALTIMORE - Baltimore City Council took another step toward bringing the city's police department under total local control.

The council unanimously adopted a resolution to try to speed up the process.

This is an issue WJZ has been closely following for you since we broke the news last week that neither the city nor the state has legislative control over the agency right now.

Less than a week after a group of Baltimore City residents spoke out at a city council committee meeting begging for the council to act fast to bring the Baltimore Police Department under local control.

"It's very, very important get this just pushed through and get it done because local control will allow people to come to you all to receive accountability and to have input," a city resident said to council members on February 21.

The council unanimously adopted a resolution to put pressure on lawmakers in Annapolis.

"82 percent of the people voted for that," Councilman Robert Stokes said. "We need to do that."

The resolution asks the General Assembly to pass legislation that would give the city immediate local control over Baltimore Police Department the first time in more than 160 years.

Senate Bill 758 and House Bill 853 are two bills in the legislature that would grant total control by June 1. They're sponsored by Senator Jill Carter and Delegate Stephanie Smith.

City leaders have advocating for local control for decades. 

They hit a major milestone last November when voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of Question H, making BPD a city agency as of Jan. 1.

However, the ballot question did not give the city legislative control over the department.

"It's actually almost like it's stuck," Stokes said. "The state of Maryland doesn't have control. The city doesn't have control. It's stuck between both of them."

With the control over BPD now in limbo, there's concern session will close before legislation is passed granting control.

Councilman Stokes proposed the resolution. 

When asked why he supports local control, he brought up the fallout from the Gun Trace Task Force.

"We pay for the lawsuits, but we're still under state control," Stokes said. "So, if we're going to pay for the bill, pay for the lawsuits, then Baltimore City should be under control."

The two bills are in committee right now. Lawmakers are expected to discuss them at a hearing on Wednesday.

We will keep an eye on them and will bring you updates.