We Own This City is a limited series on HBO Max revolving around the struggling reform of the Baltimore Police Department after the killing of Freddie Gray. The series is based on Baltimore Reporter Justin Fenton’s nonfiction book of the same name about the true story of the rise and fall of the Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF). This elite unit ruled the city of Baltimore like a gang. They wrongfully searched civilians, stole money, planted drugs, and committed acts of brutality, all under the protection of the badge. The mini-series deftly explores the individual dirty cops that lead to systemic corruption within a police department.
We Own This City is produced by The Wire’s David Simon and George Pelecanos, who have committed their work to shedding light on the deep-rooted rot, corruption, and failure of America’s police institutions. The limited series primarily follows the corruption of the GTTF with Jon Bernthal’s (The Punisher) Sgt. Wayne Jenkins. Beyond him, the series also touches on the true story of the fallout of Freddie Gray’s death and the BPD’s systemic racism.