Page 23 - KPA MAY 26
P. 23
U.S. NEWS A5
Tuesday 26 May 2015
Cleveland reaches deal with Justice Department on policing
see changes inside injuries he suffered while in
police departments. police custody.
Settlements are The Justice Department’s
typically backed by report on the Cleveland Di-
court orders and of- vision of Police was among
ten call for improved its most scathing. Investiga-
training and revised tors said in December that
use-of-force policies. police officers unnecessar-
A spokeswoman for ily used deadly force; used
the Cleveland Di- excessive force against
vision of Police re- mentally ill people; and
ferred questions to inappropriately used stun
the mayor’s office, guns, chemical sprays and
which said it would punches. The report high-
not comment Mon- lighted one case in which
day. Dena Iverson, officers kicked an African-
a spokeswoman for American man in the head
the Justice Depart- while he was handcuffed
ment, also had no and on the ground, then
comment. did not report using force in
The Justice Depart- the arrest.
ment has opened The report was compiled
nearly two dozen too late to cover the death
investigations into of 12-year-old Tamir Rice,
A protester is arrested after the acquittal of Michael Brelo, a patrolman charged in the shooting deaths of police departments who was playing with a
two unarmed suspects in Cleveland. The city of Cleveland has reached a settlement with the Justice De- replica gun in a park last
partment over what federal authorities said was a pattern of unconstitutional policing and excessive use of during the Obama November when police
administration. shot him.
“Supervisors throughout
force, people briefed on the case said Monday. Federal investiga-
(AP Photo/Tony Dejak) tors found patterns
MITCH SMITH For Cleveland, a settlement Department has called him of unconstitutional the chain of command
MATT APUZZO avoids a long and costly a full partner in its effort to policing in cities includ- endorse questionable and
© 2015 New York Times court fight and the appear- improve the police depart- ing Seattle; Newark, New sometimes unlawful con-
CLEVELAND - The city of ance that city leaders are ment. Jersey; Albuquerque, New duct by officers,” Vanita
Cleveland has reached a resisting change. Mayor The details of the settle- Mexico; and Ferguson, Gupta, the Justice Depart-
settlement with the Justice Frank Jackson faces a re- ment were not immediate- Missouri. Federal authori- ment’s top civil rights pros-
Department over what call petition from city activ- ly clear, but in similar nego- ties recently announced ecutor, said in December.
federal authorities said was ists who say, among other tiations in recent years, the they would investigate the “Officers are not provided
a pattern of unconstitu- grievances, that he has not Justice Department has in- police department in Bal- with adequate training,
tional policing and exces- done enough to prevent sisted that cities allow inde- timore following the death policy guidance, and su-
sive use of force, people police abuses. The Justice pendent monitors to over- of Freddie Gray, a 25-year- pervision to do their jobs
briefed on the case said old black man who died of safely and effectively.” q
Monday.
The settlement, which DC police: Pressure cooker in suspicious vehicle
could be announced as
early as Tuesday, comes WASHINGTON (AP) — A evening. Boston Marathon. ating after revocation,”
days after a judge de- bomb squad safely de- “Further investigation re- Schneider said the bomb Schneider said. Schneider
clared a Cleveland police stroyed a pressure cooker vealed a pressure cooker, squad destroyed “items of didn’t elaborate on the
officer not guilty of man- found in a “suspicious” ve- and an odor of gasoline concern in the vehicle in- charge. It wasn’t immedi-
slaughter for climbing onto hicle parked on the Nation- was detected,” Schneider cluding the pressure cook- ately known if he had an
the hood of a car and fir- al Mall near the U.S. Capitol said. er.” She did not immediate- attorney.
ing repeatedly at its un- and the vehicle’s owner Pressure cookers have ly identify the other items. Schneider said authorities
armed occupants, both was found and arrested, a been used to create explo- The vehicle’s owner was including the U.S. Secret
of them black. The verdict U.S. Capitol Police spokes- sive devices. Three people found and identified as Is- Service and the FBI Joint
prompted hours of protests woman said. were killed and more than rael Shimeles of the Wash- Terrorism Task Force were
and reignited discussions Police Lt. Kimberly A. Sch- 260 others wounded in April ington suburb of Alexan- assisting police.
about how police officers neider told The Associated 2013 when two pressure- dria, Virginia, Schneider The FBI did not immediately
treat the city’s African- Press that officers on patrol cooker bombs were set off said. Shimeles was arrested return a call for comment
American residents. noticed the vehicle Sunday near the finish line of the and charged with “oper- late Sunday.q
