Part One – The show begins with Sgt. Wayne Jenkins (Jon Bernthal) speaking to a classroom of police officers. Explaining the importance of fighting, he promises that every officer will need to indulge at some point. He says talking and authority are ineffective when someone is willing to test you. Jenkins says people are under the impression that police brutality is when officers must fight and win. He asks those in attendance that if police officers are supposed to come out on top in a fight. He assures them that losing fights results in losing the streets.

He points out that real police brutality is when officers engage in fights, they feel entitled to. He says a fight throws all hope of talking out the window. He suggests gathering evidence will result in big cases, guns, shooters, drugs, and eventually, promotions. He says police officers earn a bad reputation when they beat on people.

Jenkins walks the streets, twirling his police baton.

Momodu “G Money” Gondo (McKinley Belcher III) is amid a police interview, with John Sieracki (Don Harvey). Erika Jensen (Dagmara Dominczyk) asks him to tell them what he knows about Jenkins. Laughing, G Money describes Jenkins as “fu**ing crazy.” He says Jenkins understands, before going on a rant about information is knowledge on the streets. When walks away, he says she gets it.

Sean “Marcus” Suiter (Jamie Hector) encourages Jenkins to put a rush on it on a raid. Jenkins tells him to relax before relenting. After announcing themselves, a woman answers the door. She attempts to keep them out, but they push through, ordering the occupants to the ground. Jenkins asks if anyone is on the upper floor. A man sarcastically says, “Your mother is” when an officer shoves him to the floor. As the suspects are cuffed, Jenkins and Suiter head upstairs, where they find a stash of guns. Jenkins admits he may be getting an “erection.” Evodio Hendrix (Ham Mukasa) celebrates their success before asking what Jenkins has in the closet.

Suiter hangs up the phone when Hendrix and Jenkins arrive. Asking Hendrix to “get in line at ECU,” Jenkins promises to catch up with him later. He reminds Suiter of when they were new at VCID. Suiter admits he had two years until he can retire. Jenkins claims he will never retire before telling him about their previous raid. He suggests the suspects had enough weapons to “start a war.”

Jensen asks G Money when he first met Antonio “Brill” Shropshire before joining his illegal drug operation. He claims to have known him for approximately five years. Sieracki asks if they lived in the same neighborhood growing up. Jensen questions if started robbing before getting involved with Shropshire. He denies committing armed robberies, just robbing people in different neighborhoods. Sierack asks if he hung around Belvedere Towers in Baltimore on Northern Parkway. He acknowledges conducting a considerable amount of business there. He asks them how they get their information. Sierack refuses to give him a direct answer.

Bel Air, Maryland Jun 2015 Two Years Earlier – A man asks where Ashley is at. David McDougall (David Corenswet) claims she was gone before EMTs arrived. He tells the man that first responders administered medicine to save his life. Rocking back and forth, the man says he met Ashley at a rehab facility. McDougall asks if they engaged in consensual sex. He acknowledges they did have sex. McDougall reminds him of Ashley’s photos on his cellphone. He assures him that the photos were nothing more than a joke. McDougall tells him that Ashley called 911 before suggesting he always keep Narcan on hand.

Holding up drugs, Gorgon Hawk (Tray Chaney) where he got them. He believes the man utilizes the same dealer because he has a decent stash of bumblebees. The man says his dealer is called Anderson “Black.” Gordon asks where he meets his dealer. He acknowledges meeting him at the Alameda in the city.McDougall apologizes his loss beore leaving.

McDougall tells Gordon that Anderson is dealing in Shropshire’s signature drugs. Gordon says the drugs are killing people.

Nicole Steele (Wunmi Mosaku) drives upon a conflict between police and a man. She joins the locals in recording the suspect’s arrest. The officers eventually free the suspect, saying it isn’t worth it. The locals taunt the officers as they get into their cruisers.

Gordon adds Anderson’s name to the police investigation board. He informs McDougall that his name shows up 1,100 times in the department’s computer system. He pinpoints one particular suspect named Aaron Anderson who was raised near the Alameda. McDougall tells him that Shropshire, and Brill Steet were in the police computer. Gordon isn’t happy when he realizes Detective Scott Kilpatrick (Larry Mitchell) is involved in the case. McDougall contacts Kilpatrick via the phone.

Charlie Gibson (Ken Arnold) greets Nicole as she returns to the office. He shows her the attempted arrest of a suspect on North Avenue. She informs him that she was present when Baltimore Police officers attempted to arrest a man. She asks if he saw how the arrest ended. He says it ended with the suspect lying on the ground. She tells him about the officers leaving the scene without making an arrest. She suggests that BPD has opted not to police instead of choosing to do it the right way. A man approaches and identifies himself as Ahmed Jackson (Ian Duff). She asks if the Department of Justice sent him to speak with her. He acknowledges having requested transfer to the Civil Rights Office after Freddie Gray’s death.

She warns him of what will happen in a republican candidate wins the presidency. He asks why he should be concerned. A man says if Donald Trump wins, it will be four years before he has work. She welcomes him to their team, along with Charlie and Bill. They inform him that their job is not to litigate, but to convince and support.

McDougall speaks with Kilpatrick about Shropshire. Kilpatrick assures him that Shropshire is smart, as he doesn’t frequent the hot spots. McDougall asks about the other suspects. He tells him that Twan Washington and Glen Wells are affiliated with Shropshire. McDougall questions if he has ever heard of an Aaron “Black” Anderson.” After searching the database, he locates Anderson who doesn’t appear to deal in bumblebees like Shropshire. McDougall informs him of four Hartford County ODs, one of which came from a dealer named Anderson. He links 12 ODs to the bumblebee bags. Kilpatrick says data shows he works at a shopping center in Alameda. They agree to work together on the case, but McDougall is limited to Baltimore and Hartford counties.

Gordon fetches him and McDougal a drink while they stake out the area near a thrift store in Alameda. McDougall informs him of the department’s plans to install surveillance cameras in the area.

Nicole has breakfast with Ahmed. She tells him how she ended up in Baltimore City after the mayor requested an independent consulting team, in which she was involved. She says DOJ had already decided to investigate the BPD before the mayor’s investigation request after Freddie Gray. He names off a list of crimes committed by BPD officers. She claims BPD reportedly conducted over 300K pedestrian street stops in a city, with a population of 620K. He says, “Walking while black” before asking if she is truly angry.

McDougall and Gordon are still on a stakeout. Pointing at the screen, Gordon says he is pretty sure Anderson arrived. They zoom in on his vehicle license plate – 2JG-U34.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake (Paige Carter) assures Nicole that she is not her opponent. She reminds her that the request was processed prior to the death of Freddie Gray. Nicole questions why she put in a request for Baltimore Police Commissioner Batts’ resignation. A woman points out that violent crime has increased significantly after Gray. Nicole asks if they associate the crime surge to the police commissioner. She reminds her of multiple BPD officers resigning. Rawlings claims Batts was leaving the states for Greece when the city was in turmoil. She claims to have ordered him to cancel his vacation. They claim the police are retaliating for the arrest of the officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray. Rawlings informs Nicole of her decision to not run for reelection.

McDougall, Kilpatrick, and Gordon watch a drug deal go down, with a child in the customer’s vehicle. McDougall asks how confident is that his existing entail is accurate. He tells him about working with two informants who claim they are no longer involved with Shropshire. He claims BPD arrested Anderson for peddling drugs near Belvedere Towers. He tells them that the arresting officers found 300 grams of drugs in his vehicle. He says BPD let him go, no charges were ever filed.

Nicole tells Ahmed that Rawlings will not fix Baltimore, even though she filed the investigation request.

Anderson pulls into the parking lot of the Carriage House apartment complex. Gordon rushes over to install a tracking device on his vehicle. They decide to let the tracking device work while they go home for a while.

Nicole speaks with the public defender to request the name of a BPD company with a history of complaints. He gives her the name of Daniel Hersl (John Charles) in the Eastern District. He shows her images of the battered and bruised suspects that Hersl arrested. She questions if any of the suspects filed complaints against Hersl. He says all the suspects but none of the cases are supported.

Refusing to get out of the car, David Baker reminds Hersl that he stopped upon his request. Hersl asks for his vehicle registration and driver’s license. Baker emerges from his car, with his wallet in hand. Pulling out credit cards, Hersl drops them, one at a time on the ground. He is permitted to go without a citation.

McDougall and Kilpatrick speak with Andrea Smith (Gabrielle Carteris) about the ODs linked to the bumblebee bags. She says the ODs are obviously linked to heroin. They tell her about Anderson and Shropshire. McDougall suggests they will have enough evidence to obtain arrest warrants in a few weeks.

Emerging from his apartment building, Anderson gets in his vehicle. As he pulls out of the parking lot, a vehicle with three men pulls in. Two of the men put on their ski masks before retrieving guns out of the truck of their vehicle. They bust the apartment door open while asking for the money and drugs.

Gordon struggles to complete their paperwork.

The suspects emerge from Anderson’s apartment, with the drugs and money.

McDougall and Gordon inform Andrea of a change in Anderson’s routine. McDougall says the tracking device is picking him up at the Red Roof In on Timonium Road. She suggests they target both locations.

McDougall, Kilpatrick, and Gordon prepare to serve an arrest warrant on Anderson. Kilpatrick informs them that an Internal Affairs supervisor must accompany them on the raid.

Nicole meets with Judge Franklin Moore (James Lewis) to obtain information about BPD officers, with a history of complaints. He mentions the name Hersl before she has an opportunity to say his name. He assures her that he and Kevin Davis (Delaney Williams) have already discussed Hersel. She asks why he is still policing in Baltimore City. He tells her it is because he makes arrests when many of the officers just collect a paycheck. He suggests she obtain a list of BPD officers, with a history of on-the-stand perjury. She asks if Hersl’s name is on the list. He assures her that Hersl should be on the list but hasn’t gotten that far.

Hersl monitors a suspect as another officer searches their car. The officer alerts Hersl that the car is clear. The suspect accuses him of police harassment. When the suspect says, “Fu** you,” Hersl bumps into him, claiming he touched him. While the suspect is arrested, Hersl pummels him in the upper back. The suspect grunts in pain while he is being handcuffed facedown on the ground. He continues to profess his innocence as backup is on its way. Hersl’s partner alerts him of his decision to call in an ambulance, canceling backup. Hersl shrugs off his concerns as his partner worries about getting indicted.

Brill and his boys are at a men’s club. A man tells Brill that Glen was right-on about Anderson’s stash. Another man alerts him of Anderson’s disappearance. He promises Brill that Anderson’s girl couldn’t identify him because his face was covered. The man celebrates his success in recovering a Rolex from Anderson’s assets.

BPD raid Anderson’s apartment on Kilpatrick’s orders. They bust down the down door but find nothing. Kilpatrick alerts McDougall that the entrance door had damage on it before they arrived. McDougall says Anderson’s room at the Red Roof Inn appeared to be his permanent residence. Kilpatrick orders him to retrieve Anderson’s vehicle tracker because they are pricey. Gordon is surprised when he discovers the vehicle has two separate trackers.

Nicole speaks with the Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis (Delaney Williams) who suggests a consent decree. He tells her about his experience policing under a consent decree while working in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She reminds him that a consent decree is not worth the paper it is written on until the police and politicians implement change. He agrees with her. She questions how it is possible for a BPD officer to receive more than 50 abuse and brutality complaints from civilians without disciplinary action. He says Hersl with little hesitation, adding Fabien Laronde as being two shady BPD officers. He tells her that Laronde is currently facing a trial. She asks why Laronde was removed from the street but not Hersl. He describes his five complaints as “sustained” while Hersl has one sustained complaint.

McDougall calls in the numbers on the tracker found on Anderson’s vehicle. The name attached to the tracker is John L. Clewell. Gordon or McDougall are familiar with him.

A police officer arrives to pick up G Money and another man to remove guns from the street.

Gordon and McDougall conduct an online search to discover Clewell was a US marine before getting hired as a BPD officer. McDougall says he is part of the Gun Trace Task Force. He says the tracker was not issued by the department. Gordon suggests they reach out to Clewell, but McDougall suggests they wait until he reaches out to them. He agrees to alert the feds about the tracker.

When G Money, John Clewell (Victor Dobro), and another officer pull over a suspect, they discover a gun in his vehicle. The suspect questions why he was pulled over. G Money claims his license plate is obscured. The other officer disagrees when Clewell approaches to ask G Money what he did with his tracker. Sergeant Allers (Bobby J. Brown) arrives to offer his assistance. He is serious for a few minutes before goofing around. As Allers pulls away from the scene, G Money utilizes his foot to conceal the suspect’s license plate.

G Money interviews with Jensen and Sieracki. He asks them if Allers was transferred to the DEA task force. They just stare at him.

During a Comstat Presentation, Jenkins says his belief is the officers indicted on charges related to Freddie Gray’s death were wronged. He assures them that the officers’ acquittal was the right decision. The Deputy Operations Manager points out that arrests across the city are down 60% since the officers were indicted. Jenkins says his unit’s arrests have been up for the past eight weeks. The Central District Manager asks if he has any concerns about a civilian recording him. He makes a joke about “his good side.” He suggests the Gun Trace Task Force needs more overtime to remove guns from the streets citywide.

S.A.C. Gordon Johnson (Marcellus Bassman Shepard) alerts Davis of charges on seven BPD cops. He questions why the bureau didn’t notify him earlier.

Dean Palmere (Christopher R. Anderson) promises to help Jenkins as much as possible. Davis gives the list to Palmere, saying the officers need to report tomorrow to the offsite. Palmere informs Jenkins that IAD requests he be at Kirk Avenue at 9am in the morning. He tells him the meeting is regarding damage to a vehicle.

Jenkins greets Steve on his way to meet with IAD. He greets Linda Nelson (Terri O’Neill) who is not very friendly. He is escorted upstairs to the meeting room. He is apprehended by several officers as he enters the room. Davis requests to meet with Jenkins before the meeting starts. He enters, looks at Jenkins, says “fu**,” before turning to leave.

Sieracki and Jensen enter as he exits. Davis tells Johnson he doesn’t want Jenkins locked up. Jenkins asks them if they recognize him as the episode comes to an end.

 

We Own This City Review

If you like a biased drama based on a genuine, tragic event, We Own This City is ideal. If you like unbiased dramas based on real-life stories, don’t bother. We Own This City is a one-sided series that doesn’t bother presenting the full story of Baltimore’s long history of corruption, starting with the mayor and scaling downward.

The show alludes to only a handful of BPD who officers abused their positions. There was no mention of the former police commissioners, Ed Norris and Darryl DeSousa, Baltimore state Senator Nathaniel Oaks, Delegate Cheryl Glenn, Mayor Pugh’s aide Gary Brown, Council President Nick Mosby, State Attorney Marilyn Mosby, Mayor Catherine Elizabeth Pugh, Isabela FitzGerald, Jacqueline McLean, and more.

Baltimore’s reign of corruption isn’t over yet. Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby is currently facing federal charges related to a falsified mortgage application.

 

The dialogue and acting are on the verge of cringeworthy. The show is poorly directed, as it is painful to watch. Some scenes seem out of place while others drag on forever. Most of the information could have been summed up in one scene. One example is the scene in which Gordon and McDougall discover/investigate the tracking device on Anderson’s vehicle.

The first five minutes of the show was a rant about police brutality.

I apologize for my inability to identify the majority of the massive cast. The show deserves a 5. Get more We Own This City recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link to learn more.