Updated Baltimore Police Department "Do Not Call" list aimed at holding officers accountable
BALTIMORE - Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates released an updated "Do not call" list of Baltimore Police Department officers who will not be called to testify in court.
In a news conference on Monday, Bates said the list has been republished to be fully transparent and to hold officers accountable.
"This is to make sure that we are neutral independent we have to make sure we evaluate the officer's credibility before we put them on as well," Bates said.
Bates says officers named on the list will not be called to testify due to conduct deemed untrustworthy.
"If you are charged with a crime, it's a very serious matter and we do not want to put officers on the witness stand that we don't believe are credible," Bates said.
In the spring, the previous list was pulled from the State's Attorney website to be thoroughly examined before compiling the newest list.
Some new protocols that determine if an officer will be placed on the list include an officer facing formal charges, allegations based on behavior that could jeopardize a truthful testimony and pending criminal charges.
"What this says is that these are officers that we looked into their background, and these are the individuals that we will not call right now," Bates said.
A total of 60 officers are on the list including 11 currently employed. Eighteen officers on the list are linked to the disgraced Gun Trace Task Force.
"We are primarily focusing on internal affairs matters that deal directly with credibility such as false statements, such as theft," said Steven Trostle, Chief of Public Trust, and Integrity.
Bates said his office will not rush to add officers to the list and that it is reserved for officers who demonstrate repeated behavior.
Baltimore's Acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley responded:
"I want to thank State's Attorney Bates and his team for producing a list of officers that reflects our current police department," said Worley said. "We are committed to getting officers with integrity issues off the streets of Baltimore and putting the best officers forward in rebuilding trust with the communities we serve. I've said this before, 'one bad cop is too many,' and we will continue to work alongside the State's Attorney Office and others in putting the best cases forward in creating a safer Baltimore for all."
