"I got a monster" documentary film review 2023

The phrase “To protect and to serve” is one that has been adopted by police precincts across the United States. However, in modern America, it seems that this motto is often twisted. Shockingly, over $1.5 billion has been spent to settle claims of police misconduct, with thousands of officers being repeatedly accused of wrongdoing. This issue is brought to light in the documentary “I Got a Monster: The Rise and Fall of America’s Most Corrupt Police Squad,” which centers around the Gun Trace Task Force Scandal that took place in Baltimore.

The scandal involved seven Baltimore police officers who were indicted on corruption charges by the federal government in March 2017. Despite numerous complaints from citizens and defense attorneys, their behavior went unchecked for over a decade, and Baltimore is still recovering from the aftermath of their misconduct. The GTTF became a breeding ground for officers who taught new recruits bad habits and lacked accountability. They took advantage of victims, robbing and framing the very people they had sworn to protect.

Based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Baynard Woods and co-author Brandon Soderberg, the documentary delves into the story of the GTTF through the eyes of defense attorney Ivan Bates, who represented victims of Sgt. Wayne Jenkins’ questionable tactics. Bates opens the film with a powerful statement, expressing his disbelief at the failure of the system to prevent the GTTF's actions. He notes that the signs were there, but no one was paying attention.

“I Got a Monster” has been likened to a documentary combination of “The Untouchables” and “The Wire.” However, it is Ivan Bates’ testimony for the court that begins and ends the film, which fills viewers with hope. Bates’ sincere account of being harassed by police until an officer saw his badge, reducing him to just another Black man, and his explanation of police departments as an extension of slave catchers, are all too real and impossible to ignore. This point is also highlighted in “The 1619 Project” and “The 13th.”

The film raises the question of whether Freddie Gray would still be alive today if officers like Sgt. Wayne Jenkins had been properly trained, supervised, and held accountable. Director Kevin Casanova Abrams expresses his shock that Jenkins and the GTTF had so much latitude and resources to go after people. After years of effort and sting operations, Jenkins and the other members of GTTF were all sentenced to federal prison, and Baltimore city has paid more than $15 million in settlements related to their misconduct. The federal investigation into the Baltimore police department is ongoing.

In a strange twist of fate, in one of the film's closing images, Wayne Jenkins’ wife phones Ivan Bates requesting that he represent her husband. Bates declines, stating that what Jenkins did was wrong, and he would never represent him. The legendary Norman Lear is one of the many producers of the film, and he is known for not taking a backseat to controversy with his television projects. He continuously puts his money where his mouth is, spotlighting systemic racism in the most egregious sense within our nation's police departments, specifically the Baltimore PD.

“I Got a Monster” is a powerful and honest recount of one city and its participants that will stay with viewers long after the credits roll. Director Abrams does an excellent job of unveiling the sordid details of the documentary from every single vantage point with no holds barred. Hopefully, the film will light a fire in viewers' bellies to be on the right side of justice and stand against the wrong arm of the law in the name of “law and order” and an overwhelming sense to control others.

The documentary is now playing in theaters and available on VOD. It shines a light on an issue that cannot be ignored, and it is a call to action for