The Vanguard Justice Society, an organization of about 1,000 current and retired black Baltimore police officers, is calling for the resignation of the Police Department's internal affairs commander and two others, citing "disparate treatment in the department's disciplinary system."
The Vanguard Society leadership wants them to resign because they believe they tried to "extort" a civil settlement from an African-American officer who has filed a lawsuit against the department. The city's top attorney denied the assertion.
In a statement signed by eight members of the Vanguard's leadership, they say Sgt. Robert Smith is being mistreated because he is black. They believe that the department is historically more lenient on white officers.
Smith faces internal charges in an alleged sex offense that occurred in a police station when he was on vacation and miles away.
Sources familiar with the internal review say that an amended charging document is being drawn up that more accurately describes offenses of which Smith is accused - poorly supervising a flex squad unit that was disbanded after police officials said they found evidence of misconduct.
The issue has publicized the department's internal discipline process - a system that is usually shrouded in secrecy and one where cases linger for years. Appearing at a City Council hearing Tuesday, Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III said his agency is committed to making the process speedier.
Bealefeld said the department has for years been focused on the violent crime, and he acknowledged that some administrative parts of the department have suffered.
"It is not for lack of willpower," he said. "What we are talking about is tools to get the job done. There are clearly places where we can improve." The issue of race did not come up at the hearing. Through a spokesman, Bealefeld declined to comment.
Bealefeld said that 2 percent of the city's police force is suspended for nonmedical reasons. Twenty nine officers are suspended with pay for violations of internal policies, and 28 officers are suspended with pay because they face criminal charges. Two officers are suspended without pay pending criminal charges.
The department could not provide a racial breakdown yesterday of the suspended officers.
But Robert Smith, an attorney for the Vanguard Society who is not related to the sergeant who is accused, said: "I believe that the disciplinary system is unfair toward African-American officers."
