Turning Necessity Into Virtue

Abstract

In 1997, the Justice Department for the first time used its power to sue a city over a “pattern or practice” of policing that violated federal law or the U.S. Constitution. The department entered into a 5-year consent decree with the city of Pittsburgh that police officials and civil rights groups generally view as a success in increasing police accountability and improving officer training. This report, funded by the COPS Office and produced by the Vera Institute of Justice, examines specific elements of the Pittsburgh experience that helped to bring the police department into compliance with the decree and highlights issues that require continued attention, such as community relations and employee morale. This publication is a companion publication to another COPS Office-funded report entitled, “Can Federal Intervention Bring Lasting Improvement in Local Policing?” which examines the Pittsburgh Police Department after the consent decree was lifted.