Police Commissioner Worley appears in federal court Thursday for consent decree hearing

BALTIMORE --The Baltimore Police Department needs to prove they are making progress on their consent decree at a hearing Thursday.

The federal oversight for BPD started back in 2017.

But there are quarterly hearings to keep tabs on the department and monitor their progress. A hearing is set for 10 am Thursday.

This means the city police department is moving forward in completing the consent decree.

Back in January, WJZ told you that the police department was found compliant with two provisions: transportation of people in custody and officer assistance and support. 

The department said they upgraded technology in transport vehicles, improved their auditing and record keeping process and their response to cases of medical distress.

At that time, the police commissioner Richard Worley said 85 percent of the decree provisions were either in "initial compliance" or "on its path."

After the death of Freddie Gray in 2015, an investigation found that the police department had a pattern of unconstitutional practices that affected the Black community. This led to the consent decree and a plan to make reforms.

The last hearing in January showed there were still some sections the department was lagging in such as data analysis on police stops and searches.

Worley also admitted that community policing was still an issue that need to focus on.

He hopes to meet full compliance of this decree within the next three years.

There are two more hearings currently scheduled. One is set for next month and another is scheduled for January 2025.