In April 2001, the mayor of Cincinnati requested that the U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ") review the Cincinnati Police Department's ("CPD") use of force. Pursuant to its authority under 42 U.S.C. § 14141, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, the DOJ initiated an investigation. The DOJ conducted extensive interviews with city and CPD officials and community members; analyzed firearms investigations and complaints alleging excessive force; and examined CPD's use of force policies, training curriculum, supervisory procedures, and disciplinary system.

On April 12, 2002, the DOJ and the CPD entered a Memorandum of Agreement ("MOA"). The MOA set forth specific reforms regarding the use of force. Specifically, the Agreement mandated that CPD revise its practices related to the documentation and investigation of use of force incidents and its supervision and management procedures. Moreover, the MOA required that a DOJ-appointed monitor review and report on CPD's compliance with the terms of the Agreement. The city was required to file a status report with the monitor every three months until the termination of the Agreement and the monitor was instructed to issue quarterly reports detailing the city's compliance with the Agreement. The MOA was set to terminate 5 years after its effective date, or upon joint agreement by the parties.

On July 25, 2006, the parties executed a joint amendment to the MOA. In order to focus on resolving the MOA provisions with which CPD had yet to comply, the parties agreed to terminate those provisions of the Agreement with which the monitor determined CPD had maintained substantial compliance for at least two years.

On April 12, 2007, the DOJ found that CPD had satisfied the requirements of the MOA and closed its investigation.

Dan Dalton - 01/12/2007
Nate West - 11/13/2014


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