State prosecutors who investigate deaths at the hands of police were busier than ever last year

A specialized wing of the attorney general's office launched 22 investigations and its first prosecution in 2024

The Independent Investigations Division of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General started more probes than ever last year, including three in Baltimore that remain active.

The division was created by the General Assembly in 2021 to investigate deaths involving local police officers in Maryland and avoid potential conflicts of interest. It was further empowered in 2023 to prosecute its own cases. In December last year, the division exercised that authority for the first time.

The division's 22 investigations last year outpaced each of the two years prior. Prosecutors launched three probes in Baltimore City and three in Baltimore County, which tied for the second-most investigations in Maryland. Prosecutors launched four investigations in Montgomery County last year, two involving the county's Police Department, one involving the county sheriff's office and one involving the Gaithersburg Police Department.

This story by Ben Conarck continues. Read the rest at The Baltimore Banner: State prosecutors who investigate deaths at the hands of police were busier than ever last year