BALTIMORE, MD – City Councilman Brandon M. Scott (District 2) will introduce legislation that calls for a legislative oversight hearing into two training programs used by the Baltimore City Police Department. City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young is a co-sponsor of the important oversight initiative.

Over the past year the training of Baltimore Police Department officers has come under increased scrutiny due to several high profile events. This legislation is being introduced on the anniversary of an incident that left a police officer dead due to friendly fire. In addition, recent City Council hearings revealed that the city spent $10.4 million over the past three years defending the police department against lawsuits.

The legislation, Council Resolution 12-0006R, Legislative Oversight-Police Training Programs, will examine all aspects of the Baltimore Police Department’s third-party trainers, Diamond Standard Training and Hicks Training, including how they can be improved and operated more cost-effectively. Diamond Standard Training is not widely used by municipal law enforcement agencies, raising questions about the effectiveness and appropriateness of its methods.

“Legislative oversight of city agencies is one of the most important duties of the City Council,” Councilman Scott said. “I look forward to having a productive hearing that ensures that taxpayer dollars are being used effectively to benefit both our employees and citizens. The men and women of the police department have a tough job to do, and we must ensure that we are giving them the proper training to carry out their duty to protect the citizens of Baltimore.”

“The vast majority of our police officers consistently do the right thing, but it only takes a few mistakes to tarnish the department’s effectiveness and credibility,” Council President Young said. “I fully support my colleague’s legislation because solidifying the police department’s training helps prevent errors and ensures that our officers can properly protect Baltimore residents.”