Maryland issues guidance to address police profiling

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A new effort is underway to end racial profiling by police in Maryland following the unrest in Baltimore and debates over police brutality.

Attorney General Brian Frosh laid out strict new guidelines Tuesday morning in Annapolis that all police departments will have to follow. The guidance says race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation should play no part in the actions of police officers. But there are sections that can be left open to interpretation, including a phrase that says if a person is "engaged in suspicious behavior" than "enforcement is warranted."

"We can't just look the other way when it comes to profiling and hope it's a thing of the past. We know from experience that improper profiling exacts a terrible cost both for our police and for our communities," Frosh said.

These guidelines were in the works long before the violence that broke out in Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray, the attorney general said.

The guidelines take effect immediately. However, Frosh says his office will be working closely with police departments to make sure they are implemented correctly.