Los Angeles - On November 2, 2000, the City Council and the Mayor approved the Consent Decree negotiated between the City of Los Angeles and the Department of Justice. The Consent Decree, however, was not immediately entered (i.e. approved and signed) by Federal District Court Judge Gary A. Feess. Nonetheless, the Department established the Consent Decree Task Force (CDTF) within Administrative Group to plan for, coordinate, track, monitor and report on the Department's compliance with the Decree's provisions, as though it had already been entered.

On February 1, 2001, the City was required to submit its first status report on compliance progress. At that point, the Consent Decree was still unsigned by the Federal Judge; the Independent Monitor, to whom the report was to be submitted, had not yet been selected. Despite these unforeseen delays, the Department published its Preliminary Implementation Plan on February 1, 2001 and submitted it to the Board of Police Commissioners as the Department's first progress report. Additionally, on February 15, 2001 and May 15, 2001, the Department filed Internal Discipline Quarterly Reports mandated by the Consent Decree.

On April 8, 2001 and June 1, 2001, respectively, Critical Incident Investigation Division (CIID) was activated, and the Department submitted its Annual Audit Plan to the Police Commission. On May 18, 2001, the City Council approved the selection of Michael G. Cherkasky, President and CEO of Knoll Associates Inc., as the Consent Decree's Independent Monitor. The Independent Monitor will function as an Agent of the Federal Court and will monitor and report on the City's compliance progress to Judge Feess. The Court formally entered the Consent Decree into law on June 15, 2001.

Los Angeles Police former Chief Bernard C. Parks stated, "Compliance with the Consent Decree is the baseline for, and not the ultimate standard, by which the Department's commitment to excellence will ultimately be measured."

For further information, contact Media Relations Section 213-485-3586. This press release was prepared by Lieutenant Horace Frank, Officer in Charge, Media Relations Section.