2 Baltimore officers charged in recorded assault on teen

BALTIMORE (AP) — Two officers who police Baltimore's public schools walked out of jail Wednesday pending trial for assault and misconduct after their violent confrontation with a student was recorded by another teenager.

According to a witness, she said, "You need to smack him because he's got too much mouth," police said.

At a packed school board meeting Tuesday night, some parents and principals implored officials to keep officers in the schools for everyone's safety.

Tim Martin, an administrator at the New Hope Academy, said he understands the frustration, but believes most officers show enough patience to "therapeutically de-escalate students in crisis and help school personnel maintain a safe school environment."

Students from the activist group City Bloc also spoke up, saying that school police officers can make some students feel unsafe, threatening them with the message that "the world sees them as inherently violent and incapable of success."

The criminal case is now in the hands of the public integrity unit of the Baltimore state's attorney's office.

Spence told The Associated Press in a phone conversation on Friday that would not discuss the criminal investigation because he believes the news media would "twist" the story.