The Office of Equity and Civil Rights is a city agency devoted to advancing equity and upholding the federal and local civil rights laws, the local living and prevailing wage laws and providing oversight of local law enforcement. The Baltimore Community Relations Commission is the City Agency that investigates claims of discrimination and assists people who have been discriminated against by enforcing the law that protects them. The Baltimore Community Relations Commission combats unlawful discrimination in employment, public accommodation, housing, education, and health and welfare services. Discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, s*x, age, physical or mental disability, s*xual orientation, gender identity and expression, or marital status is illegal in the City of Baltimore. The Civilian Review Board of Baltimore City is an independent agency in the city through which members of the public can issue a complaint against officers of various law enforcement units. The Civilian Review Board takes complaints that allege the use of excessive force, abusive language, harassment, false arrest, and false imprisonment. The law enforcement units that the Civilian Review Board handles complaints for are: the Baltimore City Police Department, the Baltimore City School Police, the Baltimore City Sheriff's Office, the Baltimore Environmental Police, the Police Force of the Baltimore City Community College, and the Police Force of Morgan State. The Wage Commission was established by City Ordinance to enforce provisions of the City Wage Law and to establish prevailing and living wages for employees of contractors doing business with the City. The Wage Commission is the city agency that enforces the minimum wage, the living wage, and the prevailing wage in the City of Baltimore.
