In We Own This City, the Baltimore Police Department is embroiled in a corruption scandal thanks to its plain-clothes Gun Trace Task Force.

Believing they’re above the law, the GTTF soon become the criminals themselves, going rogue as they steal from citizens and drug dealers for their own gain, and dispense brute force at the blink of an eye.

As the series is based on a true story, many of the characters are based on real people during this dark period of Baltimore history.

Here’s what you need to know…

Played by: Jon Bernthal (The Punisher, The Walking Dead)

Despite resenting the phrase “dirty cop”, Sergeant Wayne Jenkins is a corrupt member of the Gun Trace Task Force, though gained promotions for his collars and accolades throughout his career as a cop. He would later become the head of the GTTF, who marched largely to the beat of their own drum.

The real Sgt Jenkins is currently in prison on charges related to this corruption, and he’s due for release in 2037.

Played by: Wunmi Mosaku (His House, Sinners)

An attorney assigned to the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, Steele was already scrutinising policing practices in Baltimore prior to the criminal investigation into the GTTF. Steele’s work centres on the systemic reasons police corruption and bad behaviour are excused by Baltimore City prosecutors, judges and the police department itself in the hopes of creating reform.

Steele is one of the few characters who are not based on a real-life person, rather an amalgamation of multiple people who were doing this kind of work.

Played by: Josh Charles (The Good Wife, The Handmaid’s Tale)

Daniel Hersl is a cock-sure cop who acts like he’s above the law – becoming known for his brutal behaviour to the citizens of Baltimore.

His reputation resulted in several complaints, ousting him from the Eastern District of the city before he became a member of the Gun Trace Task Force.

The real Daniel Hersl was granted release from prison in January 2025, after being diagnosed with a terminal metastatic prostate cancer.

Played by: Jamie Hector (Bosch, The Wire)

Sean is a Homicide detective for Baltimore City who had been on the beat for 18 years before becoming entangled in the GTTF case, having previously worked with Sgt. Wayne Jenkins, Detective Maurice Ward, and Detective Momodu Gondo.

He was called before a grand jury to testify against his fellow colleagues, but died before he could do so.

The real Suiter is described by loved ones as “an honest and beloved cop”.

Played by: Darrell Britt-Gibson (Judas and the Black Messiah, Barry)

Another member of the GTTF, Rayam comes from a police family – with his father previously working as a cop in Newark, New Jersey.

Rayam committed several robberies over the course of his time as an officer, including some at gunpoint, taking up to $79,000. He also sold drugs and was involved in multiple shootings – one of which was fatal.

Despite being investigated by Internal Affairs, he received little punishment until the GTTF scandal broke.

The real Rayam is currently serving 19 years in prison.

Played by: Rob Brown (Blind Spot, Treme)

Another of the key eight players in the GTTF, Ward committed robberies and thefts including taking $200,000 from a safe and trying to cover it up.

Notably, he was one of the first to fully cooperate with the prosecutors and had attempted to leave the GTTF before the scandal broke.

The real Maurice Ward was sentenced to seven years in prison but was released after serving five in 2022.

Played by: McKinley Belcher III (Marriage Story, The Passage)

A member of the BPD force for 11 years, Gondo became implicated in robberies, overtime fraud and heroin distribution conspiracy, protecting an operation run by Antonio “Brill” Shropshire by feeding him information.

The real Gondo was sentenced to 10 years and is due for release in 2025.

Played by: David Corenswet (Hollywood, Superman)

A proud member of the Harford County Narcotics Task Force, McDougall finds himself in Baltimore as follows leads from a series of drug overdoses.

He enlists the help of Detective Scott Kilpatrick due to the turf, and together they make a discovery that blows the GTTF corruption wide open.

Played by: Larry Mitchell (The Departed, Paterno)

An investigator on the Baltimore County Narcotics Task Force, Kilpatrick was part of the team that would trigger the probe into the GTTF.

He becomes entangled in the case when David McDougall contacts him, after a drug racket he is tracking is traced to Baltimore.

Together they take down two of the main men in the operation and discover ‘G Money’ is a member of the GTTF.