Baltimore mayor asks U.S. Justice Dept. to investigate police

Baltimore’s mayor called on U.S. government investigators to look into whether this city’s beleaguered police department uses a pattern of excessive force or discriminatory policing.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said even though complaints of excessive force and lawsuits alleging misconduct are down over the last few years, “we all know that Baltimore continues to have a fractured relationship between the police and the community.”
Baltimore saw days of unrest after a 25-year-old black man was taken into custody and suffered critical injuries. Freddie Gray died a week later. Protesters threw bottles and bricks at police during a riot on April 27, injuring nearly 100 officers. More than 200 people were arrested, and about 170 cars and 250 businesses were burned.