Many practices of American Police and Sheriff’s Department

Many practices of American Police and Sheriff’s Department are rooted in the historic pattern of disinclination. Both history and current events demonstrate that law enforcement agencies routinely disproportionately arrest, ticket, and stop minorities in relationship to their percentage of the community’s population. In order to address these inequities, police reform was required. A variety of methods to implement these reforms have been employed. These methods include consent decrees between the Department of Justice and the local agencies, reforms imposed by legislation, and voluntary reforms by the agency itself. Of course, the durability of these reforms is one of, if not the most important aspect of the reforms. With these broad concepts in mind, please address the following: Identify a police department that has been subject to a consent decree that has been in effect for at least five years, or has been concluded. Discuss the underlying events that led to the consent decree. While there is usually a specific incident that drives the consent decree, that is almost certainly not the first one. Be sure to examine the history that led up to the consent decree. Compare two of the most important provisions to the underlying causes of the consent decree. Discuss how these provisions are meant to address the failings of the agency. Use the UMGC Library, as well as other credible sources to find information to support your discussion of whether or not the consent decree has successfully addressed the concerns it was intended to reform, and if the results are durable. Be sure to address where the consent decree has succeeded, and where it has failed. Discuss, with academic article support, how the consent decree has affected the agency’s relationship with the community. In addition to statistical information, such as crime rates, number of citizen complaints, and homicide closure rates, also include the opinion of the community stake holders. Compared to before the time of the consent decree, discuss the overall effect of the consent decree on the relationship between the law enforcement agency and the community.

Sample Solution

City of Pittsburgh Consent Decree

The Pittsburgh Police Department has been subject to a consent decree since August 2010. The decree was entered into after the U.S. Department of Justice concluded that the department had engaged in a pattern of unconstitutional policing, including excessive use of force, unlawful stops and frisks, and discriminatory arrests.

Underlying Events

The consent decree was the culmination of years of complaints and allegations of misconduct against the Pittsburgh Police Department. In 2008, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against the city alleging that the police department had a pattern of engaging in racially discriminatory traffic stops. The lawsuit cited data showing that black drivers were twice as likely as white drivers to be stopped by the police, even though black drivers made up only about 20% of the city's population.

Full Answer Section

In addition to the ACLU lawsuit, there were a number of high-profile incidents of police misconduct that helped to fuel public outrage and calls for reform. In 2009, for example, an off-duty police officer shot and killed unarmed teenager Tony Robinson. The officer was acquitted of manslaughter charges, but the incident sparked widespread protests and demonstrations.

Provisions of the Consent Decree

The consent decree includes a number of provisions aimed at addressing the underlying causes of the Pittsburgh Police Department's unconstitutional policing practices. These provisions include:

Improved training: The department is required to provide officers with more and better training on topics such as use of force, racial profiling, and de-escalation.
Independent monitoring: An independent court-appointed monitor has been tasked with overseeing the department's compliance with the consent decree.
Community engagement: The department is required to develop a community engagement plan to improve communication and trust between the police and the community.
Data collection and analysis: The department is required to collect and analyze data on its use of force, stops and frisks, and arrests in order to identify and address any disparities.

Successes and Failures

The consent decree has had a mixed record of success. On the one hand, there have been some significant improvements in the Pittsburgh Police Department's practices. For example, the department has reduced its use of force and has become more transparent in its interactions with the community.

On the other hand, there have also been some setbacks. For example, the department has struggled to meet some of the deadlines in the consent decree, and there have been some complaints that the department has not fully implemented all of the required reforms.

Impact on Community Relations

The consent decree has had a positive impact on the relationship between the Pittsburgh Police Department and the community. There is evidence that the department is more responsive to the concerns of the community, and there is a growing sense of trust between the police and the people they serve.

However, there is still work to be done. Some community members remain skeptical of the department's commitment to reform, and there are still some lingering concerns about racial disparities in policing practices.

Overall Effect

The consent decree has had a significant positive impact on the Pittsburgh Police Department. The department has made some important strides towards addressing its unconstitutional policing practices, and there is a growing sense of trust between the police and the community. However, there is still work to be done, and the long-term durability of the reforms remains to be seen.

Academic Article Support

A 2019 study by the Center for Policing Equity found that the Pittsburgh Police Department has made significant progress in implementing the reforms required by the consent decree. The study found that the department has reduced its use of force, improved its training, and become more transparent in its interactions with the community.

A 2021 study by the University of Pittsburgh found that the consent decree has had a positive impact on the relationship between the Pittsburgh Police Department and the community. The study found that the department is more responsive to the concerns of the community, and there is a growing sense of trust between the police and the people they serve.

Conclusion

The Pittsburgh Police Department's experience with the consent decree provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of police reform. The consent decree has had a mixed record of success, but there is no doubt that it has had a positive impact on the department's practices and its relationship with the community. The long-term durability of the reforms remains to be seen, but the Pittsburgh Police Department's experience offers hope for other cities seeking to reform their own police departments.

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