Baltimore is facing a growing backlog of police misconduct cases awaiting resolution, posing a significant test for Maryland’s police accountability system. As of July 2026, more than 800 allegations against Baltimore police officers were pending review by the trial board, marking a sharp increase from just over 500 cases in December 2025. Some cases have remained unresolved since 2021, raising concerns among experts that prolonged delays could undermine public trust in a system intended to enhance transparency and accountability.

The backlog stems largely from the complexities introduced by Maryland’s Police Accountability Act, which came into effect in 2022. The law replaced the previous disciplinary framework, known as the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, with a new process emphasizing civilian participation and procedural transparency. Under the updated system, misconduct complaints are first investigated internally by the Baltimore Police Department. The Administrative Charging Committee then decides whether to file administrative charges. If discipline is recommended but rejected by the officer, the case advances to a trial board for formal adjudication.

Trial boards consist of a retired or administrative law judge, a civilian member appointed by the Police Accountability Board, and a police officer of comparable rank to the accused. However, coordinating schedules among all participants—including officers, attorneys, witnesses, and board members—has become a logistical challenge, often resulting in postponed hearings. Baltimore Police Accountability Board Chair Jamal Turner described the process as requiring “perfect chemistry” for hearings to proceed as planned.

Deputy Solicitor Stephen Salsbury and Deputy Commissioner Brian Nadeau attribute part of the backlog to the more complex nature of the new system and the time needed to implement it. Before the law’s enactment, disciplinary measures could often be negotiated without formal hearings, a practice no longer permitted. Scheduling difficulties further compound delays, though officials report accelerating the pace of hearings. Baltimore completed 60 trial boards in the first half of 2026, compared to 20 during all of 2025.

The majority of complaints pertain to minor infractions, including failure to activate body-worn cameras or tardiness, rather than severe misconduct. According to Nadeau, internal audits indicate that about 84% of complaints filed in fiscal year 2025 involved offenses typically carrying suspensions of fewer than five days. Nevertheless, criminology experts caution that even minor violations can affect community perceptions of police legitimacy. Rod Brunson, chair of the University of Maryland’s criminology department, emphasized that routine grievances involving disrespect or procedural violations influence how residents judge law enforcement’s moral authority.

Looking ahead, stakeholders differ on how best to reduce the backlog. Nadeau advocates for legislative changes permitting discipline negotiations before cases advance to trial boards, a move he says could significantly lessen the hearing volume. Turner recommends allocating dedicated administrative law judges for police cases and expanding virtual or hybrid hearing options to ease scheduling constraints. Meanwhile, Brunson suggests simplifying procedural hurdles to balance timeliness with accountability.

Despite these efforts, Baltimore continues to accumulate misconduct cases faster than it can resolve them. Officials anticipate revisiting the issue when the Maryland General Assembly reconvenes next year, underscoring ongoing challenges in implementing police accountability reforms.