Phoenix Asks DOJ Not to Put Police Department Under Federal Oversight

Phoenix officials are asking the U.S. Department of Justice to sign an agreement that commits the city to reforming its Police Department without federal oversight from a judge or independent monitor.

The Justice Department launched an investigation into the Phoenix Police Department in August 2021, promising to look into claims of excessive use of force by Phoenix officers, retaliation against protesters, discriminatory policing practices and the department's response to people with disabilities or who were experiencing homelessness, AZ Central reports.

An attorney for the city sent a letter to the Justice Department on Thursday requesting a "technical assistance letter," saying Phoenix had demonstrated "a powerful commitment to reform, a commitment that warrants a different approach from the DOJ than has been the case over the past dozen years."

The DOJ has in the past used several mechanisms to resolve pattern-or-practice investigations: a consent decree, which includes oversight from a judge and independent monitor; a memorandum of understanding, which includes a judge but not a monitor; or technical assistance letter, which includes neither, attorney Michael Bromwich wrote on behalf of the city.

Through a technical assistance letter, the DOJ makes observations about what their investigation revealed and lays out a series of detailed recommendations on how any issues should be reformed. The letter caries no obligation and leaves the oversight in the hands of the local government.