Federal Judge Ends 23-Year Oakland Police Oversight After 51 Reforms
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 30
Federal Judge Ends 23-Year Oakland Police Oversight After 51 Reforms
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 30
Summary
Twenty-three years of federal monitoring of the Oakland Police Department ended Tuesday after a California court found the agency had achieved substantial compliance with a 2003 reform agreement.
That agreement grew out of civil rights litigation over the "Riders" scandal, in which four officers were accused of planting evidence, falsifying reports, making false arrests and using excessive force.
Oakland settled the class action from 119 plaintiffs for nearly $11 million and accepted 51 reforms covering force, discipline, training and internal affairs under a judge and independent monitor.
The oversight was originally meant to last five years but became the longest federal monitoring of a U.S. police department, after setbacks including criticism over the 2011 Occupy Oakland response and a 2016 sex-misconduct scandal.