The Consent Decree is a mandate for positive transformation to benefit the community and the Department.

In 2016, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) investigated the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) and found that BPD engaged in a pattern and practice of unconstitutional policing.

To address the findings, the BPD, the City, and DOJ entered into an agreement called a Consent Decree. It is a federal court order that requires changes to the Department so it can police in a constitutional manner. This includes updating and creating policies, revamping training, building systems of accountability, investing in modern technology and much more.

A federal judge oversees the implementation of these changes with the help of a group of experts from across the country called the Monitoring Team. Each year, the Monitoring Team, DOJ, BPD, and the City agree to a monitoring plan that sets deadlines for individual steps in the reform process.

The following topic sections are listed in BPD's Consent Decree. For more information on these sections and their sub-sections, read the full Decree.