Please note!

This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.

Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

FACT BRIEF

Did the public file misconduct complaints against 1,800 Baltimore police officers over a five-year period?

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

By Meredith Hertan

Copy link

Copy featured image

YES

Between 2015 and 2019, 13,392 misconduct complaints were filed against 1,800 Baltimore police officers, according to an American Civil Liberties Union review of data provided by the city. In a single month in 2017, a total of about 800 officers were patrolling the streets, the ACLU noted. The department says it has a total staff of more than 3,100 civilian and sworn officers. About 6% of officers accounted for a third of complaints.

The city, under a 2017 court settlement, has pledged to reform department conduct that the Justice Department found to be unconstitutional and illegal. The ACLU noted that the complaints were “sustained” at low rates, “even when officers admit to the misconduct.”

Baltimore County operates a separate police department. Its force of about 1,900 officers received 120 complaints in 2019, according to the county's dashboard.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

ACLU: Chasing justice—Addressing police violence and corruption in Maryland

Baltimore Police Department: Citizen complaints (reported via Project Comport)

Baltimore Police Department: About the department

City of Baltimore: Consent decree

Baltimore County: About the Baltimore County Police Department

Baltimore County: Police complaint data

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR

Gigafact

Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

FACT BRIEF BY

Latest fact briefs

About fact briefs published on Gigafact

Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.