Carter brings outsider vision to civil rights job
In new city role, former delegate eager to pursue social justice goals and carry on father’s legacy
In 1968, in the wake of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the riots that tore Baltimore apart, Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro III nominated the relentless civil rights activist Walter P. Carter to lead an anti-poverty agency and bring about “liberal and aggressive” change.
The backlash from the city’s old guard was swift: The City Council rejected Carter’s nomination. One council member said Carter was “too militant.” Another called him “too radical.” A third called on the mayor to nominate more of “our people” to city jobs. In case there was any confusion, he made himself clear: “I mean white people.”
Half a century later, Walter P. Carter’s daughter now has an opportunity to pursue the civil rights work inside city government that the establishment once prevented her father from doing.
Jill P. Carter has taken over Baltimore’s Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcement at a pivotal moment in city history. The death of Freddie Gray, the riots that followed and the Justice Department investigation of the Police Department have brought new scrutiny to Baltimore’s longfestering problems. City police are now working under a court-enforced consent decree mandating reform.
Carter, a 52-year-old attorney, sees an opportunity to finally bring about the change her father envisioned. The Democrat resigned her seat in the House of Delegates to join the administration of Mayor Catherine Pugh.
“Baltimore, when it comes to issues of
racial and economic justice, has not advanced very far since the time of my father,” she said. “But with the right vision and resources we can become the model for the whole country.”
In her new role, Carter now oversees the Civilian Review Board, which investigates complaints against police; the Community Relations Commission, which investigates discrimination claims throughout the city; and the Wage Commission, which enforces rules on minimum, living and prevailing wages.
These agencies have been weak and underutilized for years, Carter says. Now, she says, it’s time they wake up and flex some muscle.
“This office has the ability to mete out justice everywhere in Baltimore City,” Carter said. “It’s so unfair for people to have a ceiling on their life before they even get started. That happens far too often in Baltimore between drugs, lead poisoning, sub-standard housing and dilapidated schools.
“I believe the current administration is committed to changing the conditions that have plagued too many people in Baltimore for far too long.” grown, and why I am clueless on how the Baltimore Police Department can attract anyone willing to go out and actually do police work,” Gahler wrote. “It is apparent that there is more concern for the 18 year old armed criminal offender than for the police officer who was put in a position that forced him to take another person’s life.”
Carter said she sees the humanity of everyone involved in the shooting — the 18-year-old and the officer.
“How do you hear or read about an 18-year-old dying and not have empathy?” she asked. “I’m just a person who believes through the grace of God and good parenting I avoided a lot of problems as a young person. I stayed away from a lot of bad acts because I had fear of disappointing my parents or my father’s legacy. I have a lot of empathy and sympathy for young people who too often lack the kind of guidance and structure that I had.” negotiated with the Department of Justice could help. The agreement calls for changes to the Civilian Review Board, which Carter hopes will increase the panel’s power.
Ray Kelly, director of the West Baltimore-based No Boundaries Coalition, says his organization has long believed the Civilian Review Board was a “toothless tiger.”
But Kelly said he sees hope in Carter’s approach. And he believes the consent decree could lead to more powerful civilian oversight in Baltimore.
“I’m optimistic. Jill Carter is the right person to be in that seat,” he said. “The Civilian Review Board should have some kind of disciplinary prowess. Right now, there is no fear of consequence. There has to be some kind of fear of repercussions.”
Rodney Hill, chief of internal affairs for the Baltimore Police Department, said Carter is already starting to make a difference.
Hill said Carter has influenced the internal affairs division to change two of its findings.
In one case, an officer was accused of using abusive and sexually explicit language with residents. The other case involved allegations of excessive force, false arrest and abusive language.
In each case, the division found that the complaints were not supported. The board said that they were.
“She was able to make her pitch and, at the end of the day, I agreed with her,” Hill said.
“With Jill, she’s not meanspirited about it. She’s a critic, but I can handle criticism if it makes you better.”
Hill said internal affairs investigators have been reluctant in the past to honor Civilian Review Board opinions because the board didn’t include facts or reasoning with its recommendations.
“Their stuff was based on what they saw on television,” he said. “In order for people to have respect for civilian review, they have to have the training. She’s really big on making sure the members receive a lot of training.”
Carter said the Community Relations Commission also can do much more.
The agency investigates individual cases of discrimination, much like a local branch of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and tries to settle complaints. But Carter thinks it’s ready take a broader stand against institutionalized oppression — in housing, employment and government.
“I think we can take broader view in terms of conducting investigations,” she said. “I want to move us toward us confronting systemic discrimination beyond an individual complainant.”
Carter has limited funds to work with. The Office of Civil Rights is scheduled to receive a small cut in funding this year.
John B. Ferron Sr., past director of the Baltimore Community Relations Commission, says Carter is taking over an organization that past mayors have allowed to languish. “That agency was watered down so much it was emasculated,” he said. “Jill is the ideal appointee for director. I’m glad it appears there’s going to be an independent, competent body that will be dealing with police misconduct.”
Carter said her office is at a “critical stage.”
“We’re either going to take everything we know from the DOJ report and go in the direction of authentic civilian oversight,” she said, “or we’re going to continue in a way that doesn’t bring the necessary changes.
“This is our time. I hope we don’t miss our time.”