Under the consent decree the City of Baltimore and the Baltimore Police Department will work with communities to implement comprehensive reforms that will ensure:

​

• Baltimore establishes a Community Oversight Task Force to recommend reforms to the current system of civilian oversight.
• BPD adopts a policing approach that is community-oriented and based on problem solving principles.
• Officers’ voluntary interactions are professional and courteous, and officers conduct all investigatory stops, searches and arrests in a manner that protects people’s rights.
• BPD provides equal protection of the law for all individuals, including providing impartial policing services.
• Officers use appropriate de-escalation techniques and attempt to resolve incidents without force when possible; use force in a manner that is proportional to the threat presented; and BPD’s use of force policies, training and review systems provide sufficient guidance, skills and accountability.
• BPD transports detainees in a manner that keeps them safe.
• Officers respect the First Amendment rights of all persons.
• BPD investigates sexual assault thoroughly and without gender bias.
• Baltimore conducts an assessment to minimize youth involvement with the juvenile and criminal justice systems, as appropriate, and that officers approach interactions with youth in a manner appropriate to their age.
• Baltimore conducts an analysis of gaps in the city’s mental health system in consultation with a committee of behavioral health experts and service providers, and BPD instructs and dispatches officers who are properly trained in interacting with people in crisis or with behavioral health disabilities when a police response is appropriate.
• Allegations of employee misconduct are fully, fairly and efficiently investigated; that all investigative findings are supported by the appropriate standard of proof and documented in writing; and that all officers who commit misconduct are held accountable pursuant to a disciplinary system that is fair, consistent and provides due process.
• Officers receive necessary equipment, policy guidance, training and support to do their jobs safely and effectively, and BPD performs a staffing study to ensure a sufficient number of officers and supervisors.

The consent decree stems from a 2016 investigation by the US Department of Justice into the BPD.

The consent decree is a federal court order saying “BPD Must do these things because they’ve been the bad boys(and girls)”

The BPDs progress on the items from the decree (another commenter explained those well) are monitored by a group of experts and a federal judge.

If you mean the EPA/sewage one, same thing but insert EPA instead of DOJ, and insert city of Baltimore instead of BPD

https://consentdecree.baltimorecity.gov/

Which one? Guessing either the EPA one or the DOJ one?

This is simplistic but it is like the city is taking an Alfred plea, admitting there is enough evidence to be found guilty in a court of law but taking their punishment before that admission.

After Freddie Gray's killing, the DOJ opened an investigation into city police. They found a pattern and practice of city cops doing illegal/unconstitutional shit like unjustified stops, enforcement strategies that targeted Black people, excessive force and retaliation for First Amendment activities. So the city, BPD and the feds reached a consent decree. They agreed not to do that stuff and to make reforms to training and oversight.

Federal government telling you what's good for you ☠️☠️☠️