BALTIMORE — Baltimore's Office of Civil Rights Enforcement is now a stand alone agency.
Mayor Jack Young announced on Tuesday that effective immediately the office will no longer serve under the city's law department and will once again function as an independent agency within the Mayor's office.
This comes after the Civilian Review Board and residents complained that the law department could not serve as council for both the plaintiff and defendant in cases where charges were brought against Baltimore Police officers.
"The office, in many cases, is all that victims of discrimination have in Baltimore City. People must be able to trust that their claims will be fairly and vigilantly investigated and that decisions made with integrity and without conflict or political influence," said Mayor Young.
Mayor Young also announced that the office has received a grant of more than $100,000 from the Department of Housing and Development. The money will be used to help victims of housing, racial, and sexual discrimination, as well as victims of police misconduct.
