Two years ago The Baltimore Sun published "Undue force," an investigation by Mark Puente of charges of brutality against Baltimore police officers.
Two salient facts emerged from Mr. Puente's digging into public records. The city had paid nearly $6 million over a three-year span to settle accusations of police brutality but had not kept track of its spending on this issue. And the Police Department had not kept track of officers involved in accusations of brutality, some of whom were involved in multiple settlements.
It did not take a probing analytical mind to draw conclusions from these salient facts.
One: The Police Department tolerated a culture in which preserving public order was accomplished by allowing police officers to hassle and harass citizens if they were poor and black, falsely arresting them and occasionally beating them up.
Two: City government, a succession of mayors and City Council members has tacitly endorsed this police culture, considering periodic settlements for brutality the cost of doing business.
Today The Baltimore Sun extensively covers the Department of Justice's report on Baltimore policing, a report documenting and affirming the conclusions one drew from Mark Puente's reporting.
Justin Fenton has reported on the department's disinclination to pursue rape cases.
Mark Puente and Doug Donovan have reported on the reckless use of Tasers.
Catherine Rentz reported last Sunday on the deficiencies of internal affairs investigations.
I was the copy editor for "Undue force" and have had a hand in these other articles. As embarrassed and repelled as I am by what the Justice Department report says about the governance of the city in which I have lived for twenty-eight years, I am proud of what my newspaper has done to throw light into dark corners.