Mayor Brandon Scott and the Baltimore Police Department announced that the city has filed a joint motion for the court to find the city in full compliance with three sections of the federal consent decree imposed on it by the Department of Justice (DOJ).Scott, Police Commissioner Richard Worley, and City Solicitor Ebony Thompson said on Monday that the city had filed the motion with the U.S. DOJ on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. The motion requested that the United States District Court for the District of Maryland find the city in full and effective compliance with three additional sections of the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) Consent Decree: First Amendment, Baltimore City School Police and the Community Oversight Task Force.“I have said over and over again: constitutional policing and public safety are not mutually exclusive,” Scott said in a statement. “Instead, when done right, they go hand in hand. That is why we are so proud to be on the verge of yet another milestone with BPD’s remarkable transformation while simultaneously achieving historic reductions in violent crime. My thanks goes out to all of the men and women of the Department that are making real, meaningful police reform in Baltimore a reality.”Before they issued the Consent Decree, the DOJ cited numerous First Amendment violations, specifically ways in which the BPD interfered in civilians’ ability to engage in protest activity. The court-appointed monitor recognized BPD has overhauled its policies and practices to adhere more fully to the First Amendment, especially in the way they handle protests and public assemblies. The mayor’s office’s press release noted the most visible progress being evident during the George Floyd protests in 2020, praising the BPD as “a model by working with and safeguarding the rights of protesters.”“I am incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication shown by all our officers in transforming our department and achieving a significant reduction in violent crime, all while navigating severe staffing shortages,” Worley said in a statement. “Our members are committed to implementing these reforms, while also rebuilding trust with our communities. Together we are building a stronger and safer Baltimore for all.”Part of the consent decree also required the BPD to monitor and assess its collaboration with the Baltimore City School Police Force. The city argues it has met that requirement, as well as fulfilled its obligations regarding the Community Oversight Task Force, a precursor to the Police Accountability Board and Administrative Charging Committee now mandated by state law.“We know the Department’s history, but that is not its present or its future,” Thompson said in a statement. “We have an obligation to make sure our residents should see their Police Department and City Government as an asset, not something to be afraid of. By following the law and respecting the Constitution, we have an opportunity to fulfill that commitment to our residents.”Baltimore City and DOJ have filed joint motions asking the court to find BPD in compliance with these three sections of the Consent Decree, with the court expected to address them during the next public hearing on Jan. 24, 2025.