Forced reforms, Mixed results
In Detroit, the Justice Department forced reforms on police after officers fatally shot 47 people in five years, including six who were unarmed. The overhaul took 11 years and eight police chiefs.
In Los Angeles, Justice intervened after police officers in an anti-gang unit were accused of beating and framing people. The reforms cost taxpayers an estimated $300 million.
In New Orleans, Justice stepped in to overhaul the police department after officers over 17 months shot 27 people, all of whom were black. The changes have fueled departures from the ranks and deterred some officers from proactive policing.
ABOUT this Story: Over the past two decades, the Justice Department has undertaken its deepest interventions at 16 police departments that had patterns of excessive or deadly force, implementing reforms under the watch of independent monitors. To examine the impact, reporters from The Washington Post and the PBS series ”Frontline” surveyed the departments, visiting four of the cities. They interviewed officials, federal monitors and civil rights advocates. They also reviewed use-of-force data, monitoring reports and local budgets. The Post is compiling a database of all fatal shootings nationwide by officers in the line of duty in 2015,
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2015/11/13/forced-reforms-mixed-results/