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Witnesses Urge Approval of Baltimore Police Consent Decree

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BALTIMORE (AP) - An attorney for the U.S. Justice Department says the agency has "grave concerns" about a proposed agreement to overhaul the Baltimore Police Department.

Justice Department attorney John Gore told a judge Thursday at a public hearing that newly minted Attorney General Jeff Sessions is concerned about the agreement and "whether it will achieve the goals of public safety and law enforcement while at the same time protecting civil rights."

Baltimore residents overwhelmingly voiced support for a proposed overhaul.

Many shared harrowing stories of police abuse to make clear how necessary such reforms are. Multiple mothers whose sons were killed by police testified about their pain.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.