The Department of Justice and an independent monitor cheered the successes of Albuquerque police in the latest hearing on its reform effort, this time for reducing officers’ use of force and conducting better investigations into such incidents.

The hearing came months after Independent Monitor James Ginger released his latest report that gave the city of Albuquerque its highest rating yet — 94% operational compliance — in its Court-Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) with the DOJ.

Those monitoring civilian oversight, one of the largest remaining roadblocks in reaching full compliance, called it “a mess” that was being cleaned up, and advocates applauded the work done by the department to come so far, so fast, the Journal reports.

More recently, he said, it can be measured in a large decrease in uses of force even as police make more arrests, the positive words he regularly hears from the community and from surveys taken by those who call 911.

It showed in his officers’ lack of gripes about the reform process, which was the “number one complaint” when he took over in 2020. Now, Medina said, those on the force even compliment policy changes brought about by the CASA.