Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore has requested the U.S. Justice Department to investigate police practices in the city.
The mayor's request came after criminal charges were filed against six police officers involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray, who died while in police custody.
The death of 25-year-old Gray has triggered massive demonstrations that have crossed the line towards outright violence in the city. Thus, the mayor's request attempts to determine if the police officers involved have engaged in unconstitutional patterns of discrimination and abuse, according to The New York Times.
"We all know that Baltimore continues to have a fractured relationship between the police and the community," Mayor Rawlings-Blake stated in a news conference.
"We have to have a foundation of trust, and I believe that we need the assistance of the Department of Justice and the civil rights investigation to shore up that foundation, which is weak right now in this city. I'm willing to do what it takes to reform my department," she added.
The mayor has stated that the city would seek to equip its 3,200-strong police force with body cameras by the end of the year. Supporters of this program see the cameras as an ideal way for people to monitor police encounters with civilians, Reuters reported.
Mayor Rawlings-Blake, whose leadership was questioned as the city plunged into turmoil following the death of Freddie Gray, said the investigation is part of her years-long effort to reform the police force in Baltimore.
According to the mayor, the department has made significant progress, with a 46 percent decrease in complaints regarding the excessive use of force by the police during the previous year, according to Reuters. However, the mayor believes that such improvements are not enough.
Gene Ryan, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3, said that the police department of Baltimore is very much open for a civil rights inquiry.
"We, too, have many issues with current policies and procedures of the department," he said in a statement.
Gov. Harry Hogan of Maryland has voiced out his support for the mayor's request as well, The New York Times reported.
"I think that's probably a step in the right direction," Hogan said.
