Los Angeles: On June 15, 2001, the Consent Decree, entered in agreement between the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) and the City of Los Angeles, was signed by the appropriate parties and enacted into law. The Consent Decree is a binding agreement between the USDOJ and the City of Los Angeles. Once entered by the Court of Jurisdiction, the Consent Decree became a Federal Court Order with which the City and the USDOJ must abide.

The Los Angeles Police Department is committed to full implementation of the terms of the Consent Decree, which will be in effect for a period of no less than five years. To that end, the Department has formulated the Consent Decree Task Force (CDTF). The CDTF is tasked with planning, coordinating, tracking, monitoring, and reporting on the Department’s implementation and compliance efforts on the terms of the Consent Decree, as directed by the Chief of Police.

It is important to note that the Department, well before the Decree was officially signed into law, took a proactive approach on this matter. Of the approximately 129 Consent Decree action items, the Department is already in compliance with approximately 30 of these items and is well on the way to being in full compliance with several others. Some of these include, but are not limited to, issues related to discipline, booking approval and inspection of arrestees, community policing, and mission and enforcement efforts as they relate to the Department’s Special Enforcement/Gang Units.

Chief of Police Bernard C. Parks stated, "The Department’s proactive efforts in this arena is proof that we have been, and continue to be, committed to meaningful reform within the

Los Angeles Police Department. Providing effective and timely service to the people of the Los Angeles community, remains our primary duty."

For further information regarding this press release, please contact Media Relations Section at 213- 485-3586. This press release was prepared by Sergeant John Pasquariello.