Baltimore cuts ties with firm that screened police officers

Baltimore’s spending panel has unanimously voted to cut ties with a psychological services firm that has come under scrutiny for how it conducted mental health screenings for many prospective city police officers.

News outlets report that the Board of Estimates voted Wednesday to immediately end its $730,000 contract with Psychology Consultants Associated.

The vote followed a report from Baltimore’s inspector general earlier this week that said many of the company’s mental health screenings for prospective police officers were shorter than required.

The firm also evaluated an officer charged in the 2015 death of Freddie Gray. Gray died a week after suffering a spinal injury in police custody.