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32-Page Report Points Fingers At Baltimore's Top Brass Amid Police Shakeup

BALTIMORE (WJZ)--Just hours before Police Commissioner Anthony Batts was replaced-- the city police union released a report blasting police leadership during the late-April riots.

Christe Ileto has more.

No one was prepared for the violence on April 27th and now a 32 page report points the finger at top brass.

This—as the mayor announces a change in command within the Baltimore Police Department.

The report says officers were ordered "not to engage protestors," but "give (them) room to destroy" so that "rioters appear to be the aggressors".

Alleging in one instance, Batts told cops not to wear "helmets" so that they "didn't look intimidating".

More than 100 officers were injured during the unrest, many complaining they became "sitting ducks."

RELATED: Police Commissioner Anthony Batts Fired As Baltimore Sees Alarming Violence Spike

Placing the blame on Batts saying "he led us officers to slaughter".

But the FOP report comes hours before Batts is removed from his post as Baltimore's top cop.

In a statement released on Wednesday night, the union saying they're ready to work with Interim Commissioner Kevin Davis and move forward.

Deborah Ramsey, a retired Baltimore Police Detective speaks to WJZ about Batts' firing.

Ileto: "Did all of this warrant Commissioner Batts losing his job?

"When you bring someone in to reform and transform, you must in fairness give that person the opportunity to do that," Ramsey says.

Ileto: "How long do you think it should have taken?

"I don't know how long it should have, but I know it takes longer than three years," said Ramsey.

The question now is whether the so-called problems be fixed under new leadership?

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