A federal judge ordered the Baltimore Police Department to send him monthly reports of the number of new hires, saying the shortage of officers is alarming.

U.S. Chief District Judge James Bredar's decision came during a hearing Wednesday on the Police Department's federal consent decree for reform.

The Baltimore Police Department has been on a hiring campaign, but the number of new officers in 2019 is less than the year before.

The shortage of police officers in Baltimore is well publicized.