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Case Name
DOJ Investigation of the Portland, Maine Police Department
PN-ME-0001
Docket / Court
No Court Case ( No Court )
State/Territory
Maine
Case Type(s)
Policing
Attorney Organization
U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
Case Summary
In January 2002, Police Chief Michael Chitwood requested that the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice [DOJ] review the polices, practices and procedures of the Portland, Maine Police Department. The DOJ conducted an investigation pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 14141 and issued a ...
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In January 2002, Police Chief Michael Chitwood requested that the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice [DOJ] review the polices, practices and procedures of the Portland, Maine Police Department. The DOJ conducted an investigation pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 14141 and issued a technical assistance letter to the department on March 21, 2003. In the letter, the DOJ made specific recommendations regarding changes to the department's policies in the following areas: use of force, use of force reporting and review, searches and seizures, complaints and investigations, early warning systems, training, and organizational concerns.
As of the date of this summary, it is not clear whether the DOJ investigation remains ongoing.
Dan Dalton - 01/23/2007
compress summary
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Issues and Causes of Action
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Issues
Constitutional Clause
Unreasonable search and seizure
General
Excessive force
Failure to discipline
Failure to supervise
Failure to train
Inadequate citizen complaint investigations and procedures
Racial profiling
Plaintiff Type
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Special Case Type
Out-of-court
Causes of Action
42 U.S.C. § 14141
Case Details
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Defendant(s)
Portland Police Department
Plaintiff Description
United States Department of Justice
Indexed Lawyer Organizations
U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
Class action status sought
No
Class action status granted
No
Filed Pro Se
Unknown
Prevailing Party
Unknown
Public Int. Lawyer
Yes
Nature of Relief
Unknown
Source of Relief
Unknown
Filing Year
2003
Case Ongoing
No reason to think so
Additional Resources
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Data examining the Department of Justice's civil rights investigations of local and state police departments
Marshall Project
Date: Jan. 17, 2017
By: Tom Meagher (Marshall Project)
[ Detail ]
[ External Link ]
The Civil Rights Division’s Pattern and Practice Police Reform Work: 1994-Present
https://www.justice.gov/
Date: Jan. 4, 2017
By: U.S. Department of Justice
[ Detail ]
[ External Link ]
An Interactive Guide to the Civil Rights Division’s Police Reforms
https://www.justice.gov/
Date: Jan. 4, 2017
By: U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (U.S. Department of Justice)
[ Detail ]
[ External Link ]
What Happens When Police Are Forced to Reform?
Date: Nov. 13, 2015
By: Kimbriell Kelly, Sarah Childress and Steven Rich (Frontline/Post)
Citation: Washington Post (Nov. 13, 2015)
[ Detail ]
[ External Link ]
Federal Enforcement of Police Reform
Date: 2014
By: Stephen Rushin (University of Illinois College of Law, University of California, Berkeley - Jurisprudence and Social Policy Program Faculty)
Citation: 82 Fordham Law Review 3189 (2014)
[ Detail ]
[ External Link ]
Documents
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Docket(s)
No docket sheet currently in the collection
General Documents
Investigation of the Portland, Maine Police Department
PN-ME-0001-0001.pdf
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Detail
Date: 03/21/2003
People
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Plaintiff's Lawyers
Brown Cutlar, Shanetta Y.
(District of Columbia)
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PN-ME-0001-0001
Defendant's Lawyers
Poliquin, Beth
(Maine)
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PN-ME-0001-0001
Wood, Gary
(Maine)
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PN-ME-0001-0001
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