"We thought from the get-go that this policy was both unwise, improper and in fact illegal," Rocah said.
The local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Public Justice Center and several state politicians also opposed the policy.
Dixon declined to comment yesterday. Her spokesman, Scott Peterson, said there are "wrinkles that we need to iron out" in the current policy, but he declined to say what they are. He could not say when the revisions would be complete and added that the department may opt not to make any changes.
"Our goal is ... that there is a policy in place that will be accepted by everyone," he said.
Peterson added that Bealefeld has the "full support" of the mayor.
Rawlings-Blake said she hopes the Police Department will cast a wide net seeking input for any revisions to the policy. Her office is researching how police departments handle information about police-involved shootings and is looking closely at Chicago, which has a review panel that posts online police reports about officer shootings. The names are redacted from those reports.
"I think that what needs to happen now is what should have happened in the first place," Rawlings-Blake said. "There needs to be a conversation with community members."
Community input is important because many residents distrust the police, she said.
The head of the city police union said he was disappointed that Dixon and Bealefeld may be backing down. Robert F. Cherry, a former homicide detective, said internal investigations on police are tough and that the officers' names were inconsequential.
"Certain groups and politicians have used this issue to grandstand," Cherry said. "It's easy to beat up on the police. ... If they change the policy, then the mayor and police commissioner are catering to a small segment."
Guglielmi said the policy of withholding names was considered a "best practice" in other jurisdictions, but he said yesterday that it might not be the best option here.
"What works in the federal government, New York and Atlanta may or may not work in Baltimore," he said.
Baltimore Sun reporter Annie Linskey contributed to this article.
