Three city officers were indicted Tuesday on charges that they kidnapped two West Baltimore teens last year, leaving one in a Howard County state park without shoes, socks or his cell phone, which was snapped in half and thrown out of the window on the drive there. The article is here.  This incident first surfaced last May, and the NAACP handed out a sworn statement from the teen and called for swift action. Now, a year to the day later, prosecutors handed the case to a city grand jury and secured an indictment.

Such serious charges are no slap on the wrist. The teen's attorney Dwight Pettit, who brings a number of lawsuits against the police department each year on allegations of misconduct, says State's Attorney Patricia A. Jessamy should pursue charges more often. Meanwhile, the police union is saying they're confident the officers were doing their jobs and will be vindicated. Bob Cherry, FOP president, called the charges "trumped up." 

I've heard whispers from some veteran officers that indeed, suspected offenders into other areas of the city or out of the city has been used as an unofficial intimidation tactic. Cherry wouldn't go there when I asked about it. But after my story was posted Tuesday afternoon, a writer from "The Wire" emailed me to point out that the practice was well known enough that they had incorporated it in an episode of the show. Indeed, with the help of a follower on Twitter, we traced it to season three, episode six. Here's a summary of that part of the episode:

Trade in Hamsterdam is thriving, but Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin insists that his men crack down hard on any remaining drug crews operating outside the tolerance zones. He gives Sergeant Ellis Carver free rein to use any force necessary to make the drug dealers relocate. The drug enforcement unit tows cars, delivers brutal beatings and pepper sprayings, throws away shoes and drives dealers out into the countryside to make their point. Major Colvin finds his district safer with honest people back out on the corners again, but the reality of the tolerant zones is shocking.