Baltimore Police commissioner stands by staffing decisions that faced scrutiny

Baltimore’s police commissioner on Monday defended two staffing decisions that came under scrutiny in recent months amid his reorganization of the police department.

The captain he assigned to the Public Integrity Bureau handling misconduct investigations, despite her personal involvement in the Freddie Gray case, was “the best candidate for the position,” Commissioner Richard Worley told the Police Accountability Board.

And, as for the Southwestern District major promoted days after a woman swore out criminal charges against her, Worley said he would do the same thing over again. The Baltimore County District Court case was dismissed last week due to insufficient evidence.

“I treat my officers fairly,” Worley said.

Members of Baltimore’s Police Accountability Board on Monday pressed Worley on the importance of the community’s perception of police decisions, including around staffing assignments and promotions. The board previously questioned the promotion of Major Jennifer McGrath, calling the allegations against her a “civilian’s worst nightmare.” When her promotion was announced, there were both pending criminal charges and an internal investigation.

Attention Monday also surrounded Alicia White, one of the six officers criminally charged but not convicted in Gray’s 2015 death. Gray, 25, died a week after suffering a broken neck while in police custody, in the back of a department van in April 2015. His death led to citywide protests against police brutality.

Pastor Antoine Burton, a board member, said “perception is everything, especially when you live in our city” and know the troubled history of Baltimore Police’s relationship with the communities it polices.

Putting White in a command position “could’ve went left,” said Burton, adding that teople in Baltimore “were not happy.”

Burton said he wasn’t accusing Worley of not caring what the community thought, but said: “If we are trying to build a better relationship between communities and BPD, we have to do it collectively, all the way around, and I don’t think BPD can take the side of ‘We’re gonna do what we’re gonna do because these are our officers.’ I just don’t think that’s the right thing.”

White’s command position in the Public Integrity Bureau will be as one of two commanders overseeing the bureau’s Investigative Section, a spokeswoman for the department said last month. The spokeswoman, Lindsey Eldridge, said White applied for the opening, was selected by an interview committee and approved by Worley.

The captain previously served in the Anti-Crime Section overseeing the city’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy, Worley said Monday. He expressed surprise that her assignment received media attention because it was a “lateral movement” for White, who’d already been promoted.

In future instances, where personnel moves might attract public attention or outcry, Worley said he wouldn’t be opposed to giving the Police Accountability Board advanced notice. Board members had suggested that might help prepare them for conversations or questions from residents.

As for McGrath’s promotion, Worley told the board that no internal processes had changed since her promotion and he’d “promote her again.” He stressed that the District Court charges against her were “an allegation,” saying if she’d been convicted then the department would’ve taken action, including a potential demotion.

Worley discussed the potential personnel move with Deputy Commissioner Brian Nadeau, who oversees the Public Integrity Bureau that was simultaneously conducting an internal investigation into allegations made against McGrath, Worley said.

“Had there been any indication that the case could’ve possibly been a conviction, we wouldn’t have promoted. We would’ve held the promotion,” Worley said. “But there was absolutely nothing in the case folder. Even when we spoke to the county, there was absolutely nothing that would indicate that there was any remote chance of the case being convicted.”

McGrath, he added, is beloved in the Southwestern District. The community “overwhelmingly” wanted her to serve as major, he said.

Still, the commissioner conceded, “We can do a better job of public relations. We’ve got to tell our story, because no one else is.”

In a swipe at the news media, Worley said that “most of the stuff” in news accounts of McGrath’s criminal charges was wrong. The Baltimore Sun and other news outlets printed allegations made by the woman in a sworn affidavit for criminal charges. She does not face criminal charges for perjury, though McGrath’s attorney Chaz Ball suggested last week that county police were investigating the matter.

Joshua Harris, who chairs the Police Accountability Board, told Worley that “wanting to be trusted does not make you trustworthy.”

“That’s something that I think institutions forget. They may have good intentions,” Harris said. “The way to caveat that is to engage community as part of that public relations, before it escalates. It’s easier to get ahead of it … put it out there before someone else does.”

The Police Accountability Board has yet to publish its annual report, due at the end of 2023. Harris said at the end of Monday’s meeting that staffing issues in the Office of Equity and Civil Rights had delayed its completion but a final draft is expected by mid-month. He said he hopes it will be made public by the board’s next meeting in April.