BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENT (OFFICE OF THE POLICE COMMISSIONER MeDia RELATIONS SECTION deters W- Bate oot 4 Konan ‘Statement of Police Commissioner Anthony Batts on the Mayor's Request for a D.0.J. Review of the Baltimore Police Department \We continue the work of bringing reform to every level ofthe Baltimore Police Department, a process we started more than two years ago. Bringing in new, talented {and bright leaders was the start, Experts in Internal Affairs, Equal Opportunity and training now lead the structural reforms ofthe department. Anew Command Staffs in place, chosen in part by community leaders to reflect their values. The way that we train ‘our officers, the equipment that we provide them, updating administrative policies and procedures, or replacing outdated and antiquated systems are just afew ofthe things that ae part of our transformative process, Even going so far as to change the schedule ‘our officer’s work to improve morale. There are tangible, empirical results that show we are moving the organization in 2 fundamentally new direction. At the end of 2014, we ‘saw a 54% reduction in discourtesy complaints, a more than 40% reduction in excessive force complaints and a dramatic drop in lawsuits [At the heart of reform is bringing the organization into alignment with the expectations of the community, setting anew standard in national best practices. We have dedicated, courageous officers who risk their lives every day to keep Baltimore safe. They commit themselves daly to being the finest law enforcement agency in the nation. Ax with the five previous reviews we commissioned; | welcome with open arms the Mayor's request for a Department of Justice review. We have never shied away from scrutiny oF assistance. Our work is ongoing and anyone who wishes to be a part of helping the {department better connect with the community will always be welcome, -END-