Baltimore police union accuses City Hall, BPD of withholding tapes, stalling; Mayor says charges 'without basis'

.@MayorSRB and the @BaltimorePolice release simultaneous statements re: @FOP3 request for material re: riots

— Phil Yacuboski (@WBALPhil) June 16, 2015

Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3 and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake are having a battle of the press releases today, with the police union claiming that it is being denied information it requires to prepare its report on the Freddie Gray riots (also known as the #BaltimoreUprising) that left a section of the city looted and in flames.

FOP3 tweeted yesterday that its After Action Review of the riots — a job it insists should be the responsibility of City Hall and/or the Baltimore Police Department — was nearly complete.

Our very thorough After Action Review of the events surrounding Baltimore riots is nearly complete. Final report to be published soon!

— Baltimore City FOP (@FOP3) June 15, 2015

However, today lodge president Lt. Gene Ryan issued a statement accusing City Hall and the Baltimore Police Department of deliberately stalling the release of the union’s report by withholding information such as recordings of command communications made during the riots.

Statement from Pres. Ryan today pic.twitter.com/QdFX1JGfFU

— Baltimore City FOP (@FOP3) June 16, 2015

The statement reads, in part:

A very crucial piece of information required for the report is all written correspondence and radio transmissions between City Hall and the Baltimore Police Department during the riots. We have also requested answers to several questions regarding the authority of the Department’s legal advisors when giving advice on criminal matters during the unrest, as well as the exact number of officers who have been placed on Medical Leave as the result of riot-related injuries. For more than a month, we have repeatedly requested that this information be provided to no avail. The fact that we have not been supplied the appropriate information shows obvious inaction or, quite possibly, an intentional stall tactic on the part of both the BPD and City Hall.

If the BPD has reviewed the tapes internally, which we hope and expect they have, they should easily be able to provide us with those recordings. By refusing to immediately release the radio transmissions and other command communications made during the riots, Commissioner Batts has missed an opportunity to regain the trust of the City as well as the rank and file police officers. The bottom line is simply that our leadership – Commissioner Batts and State’s Attorney Mosby – has done nothing since the riots to investigate protocol shortcomings and better prepare our officers.

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Ryan concluded by saying that the union would complete its report without the tapes if necessary.

The mayor responded with her own press release asserting that FOP3’s allegations are “without basis and do nothing to help our city heal,” but that she is “grateful and humbled by the sacrifices our officers make each and every day.”

.@mayorsrb also responded to @FOP3 pic.twitter.com/L3iEJf7Zur

— Justin George (@justingeorge) June 16, 2015

Incidentally, she also made no use of the word “riot” in her statement, preferring instead to refer to the Freddie Gray “unrest.”

"Gene is a policeman's policeman," @MayorSRB says of @FOP3 prez Ryan. "I'm sure he believes he has to voice the frustration of the officers"

— Luke Broadwater☀️ (@lukebroadwater) June 16, 2015

.@MayorSRB tells @seanyoes that Baltimore police officers are "cashing paychecks" and "have a duty" to do their jobs.

— Luke Broadwater☀️ (@lukebroadwater) June 16, 2015

The mayor tweeted sections of her statement.

Let me be clear: the public will know the full truth of what happened during the moments before and after the unrest.

— Stephanie (SRB) (@MayorSRB) June 16, 2015

It will be made clear that I never ordered the brave men and women of the Baltimore Police Department to stand down.

— Stephanie (SRB) (@MayorSRB) June 16, 2015

I continue to be grateful and humbled by the sacrifices our officers make each and every day.

— Stephanie (SRB) (@MayorSRB) June 16, 2015

While the unrest was traumatic for our city, I know the damage would have been greater without the courage & skill of our police officers.

— Stephanie (SRB) (@MayorSRB) June 16, 2015

Baltimore Sun crime reporter Justin Fenton would like to see some of the information from the riots as well, but it will cost the newspaper a bundle.

? considering the city is trying to charge us, for 1 surveillance cam, $480 at $80/hr w/o waiving first 2 hrs per state PIA law… @MayorSRB

— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) June 16, 2015

See here @MayorSRB @BaltimorePolice Who the heck makes $80 an hour over there? And why is fee waiver not applicable? pic.twitter.com/lmLlKdnhtW

— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) June 16, 2015

When journalists desperately cite law and advisory manuals hoping govt will see the light, to no end pic.twitter.com/VX3NEkxoU6

— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) June 16, 2015

Indeed, the city wants "the truth" to come out, if you have a couple thou' to pay the records request

— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) June 16, 2015