* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Young
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Baltimore City Police Department - Legal Expenses
FOR the purpose of requesting the Director of Finance to report to the City Council on the total amount of City funds used in the last two fiscal years for legal and associated services to defend employees of the Department against charges brought against individual officers, the Department, or the City by civilians or departmental personnel.
Body
Recitals
Each year dozens of lawsuits are filed against the Baltimore City Police Department. Some are filed against individual officers, while others are filed against the Department or Baltimore City itself. There are also lawsuits filed by civilians or departmental personnel to defend. While the Baltimore City Police Department has its own legal staff, more often than not, the staff is not the only one handing the task of defending Baltimore City Police Officers. If Baltimore City is named separately in the suit, then the Baltimore City Law Department may also be called upon to defend the City.
These lawsuits can often last any number of years and cost in the millions of dollars to defend. In recent history, there have been numerous lawsuits filed as class actions against the Police Department and the City in which the City has needed to hire outside counsel to help defend itself. This not only adds to the total cost of litigation, but could easily create budget issues for the City for future years. Even if the City wins the lawsuit, legal fees over a number of years add up very quickly.
The question as to the amount of money the City has had to spend in order to defend against these suits is one that needs to be answered. With the City budget already stretched thin, future lawsuits against the Police Department that the City must pay to defend could put the City in jeopardy, and knowing how much was spent over the last 2 years could help the Finance Department determine what types of expenditures will be needed to defend these lawsuits in years to come.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That this Body requests the Director of Finance to report to the City Council on the total amount of City funds used in the last two fiscal years for legal and associated services to defend employees of the Department against charges brought against individual officers, the Department, or the City by civilians or departmental personnel.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Director of Finance, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the Council.
dlr 08-0316~intro/12Jun08
ccres/policelaw/
dlr 08-0316~intro/12Jun08
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ccres/policelaw/