Officials said the Baltimore City Police Department is short 489 officers. That shortage is limiting reform and preventing compliance with the consent decree.

Commissioner Michael Harrison said it’s also keeping police from being present in the community.

“In order to have good community engagement, you have to have the free time. In order to have the free time, you have to have the officers, and the only way to have the officers without having them is to pay officers to work more and longer,” he said.

It was six years ago this month that the city entered into the agreement with the federal government after an investigation following the death of Freddie Gray found numerous issues with policing.

The judge said the department needs updated equipment and to do a better job telling its story of reform.

At one of the prior hearings, the police commissioner admitted homicides are still high, surpassing 300 every year since 2015.