Demonstrators face-off with police during a march as they protest against the acquittal of Michael Brelo, a patrolman charged in the shooting deaths of two unarmed suspects in Cleveland, Saturday, May 23, 2015. (Photo: AP)
Cleveland's settlement agreement with the US Department of Justice on reforming its police department calls for civilians to play influential roles in investigating police misconduct and establishing policies and procedures.
The city and Justice Department announced Tuesday that they'd reached a settlement on a consent decree, which an independent monitor will enforce. US Justice Officials said in December that an 18-month investigation had found that Cleveland police had engaged in a pattern of excessive force and civil rights violations.
A civilian will be put in charge of the department's internal affairs unit and will be appointed to the new position of police inspector general. In addition, most of the members of a new community police commission will be civilians.
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