At the Federation of the Blind building on Wells Street, nearly 100 people took their seats on Thursday night for a meet and greet town hall with acting police Commissioner Richard Worley and Mayor Brandon Scott. It was the third in-person town hall where residents had a chance to ask the commissioner and mayor questions ahead of Worley’s nomination.

Worley was nominated by Mayor Scott in June after Michael Harrison’s departure.

Worley, a native of Pigtown, who has lived many years in Baltimore but currently resides in Anne Arundel County, began working for Baltimore Police in 1999 and then through a time when a number of police scandals led to a federal consent decree.

Given that history, residents were skeptical of his ability to police corruption among his own rank and file. Mayor Scott has depicted Worley’s history with the department as a positive but some Baltimoreans had doubts.

“You having been with the Baltimore Police Department, as far as I'm concerned, are part of the problem,” said Ellen Worthing of Locust Point. “Because if you're going to stand there and watch as police officers commit crimes, you're not a good person.”

Worthing wanted to know how Worley would advance the reforms set forth by the federal consent decree.

“First, you assume that I stood by and watched crime getting committed by officers. I never saw a crime get committed by an officer so I was never part of any of the corruption,” responded Worley.

According to a report by The Baltimore Sun, Worley has been the subject of complaints over traffic collisions and a house search in a district he commanded.

Worley said that in 2023, 13 officers had been fired or left the department through resignation.

“We are weeding out the bad officers. It just takes us time. We have more complaints internally now than we’re getting externally,” he reported. “Which means our officers are reporting other officers who are doing wrongdoing.”

But it was clear from multiple people in attendance that they don’t see police making that effort.

A social worker who identified herself as Hillary described a disparity between perceived police and community standards.

“The police ask community members to report crimes or snitch and report anything that they observe or are aware of. This is difficult when our communities really don't trust that it will be handled safely and well,” she said.

During this and previous town halls, Worley has repeatedly come under fire from residents who question his record as a commander in the Northeast District. They questioned his response to alleged incidents of police misconduct and brutality.

One incident is the death of Tyrone West in 2013. His family says he was beaten to death by police although the medical examiner claimed West died from a heart condition aggravated by a struggle with officers in the heat. Worley responded to the aftermath of that incident.

Tyrone’s sister, Tawanda Jones, has been at every town hall.

I just wanted to know,” said Jones. “What was that scene like for you?

“The scene was quite horrific,” Worley recounted. “Anytime you go to a scene and someone dies. It's horrific.”

That case was handled independently by Internal Affairs and the State’s Attorney's office who did not charge the officers with West’s death. Worley could not even look at internal affairs files as a district commander he says, but he can as commissioner.

On Thursday night and elsewhere, Worley has multiple times laid out his commitment to the reforms set by the consent decree, calling it the “right thing to do.” He also stated that community policing is one of his main goals despite a shortage of 500 officers.

But he also promised that an officer shortage wouldn’t stop him from holding wrong-doers accountable. “I don't like bad police officers, one bad police officer is one too many.”

The City Council’s Rules and Legislative Oversight Committee will decide whether to advance Worley’s nomination for a vote on September 21.