Independent Monitoring of Consent Decree Requirements

Well before reform mandates are imposed upon a local police jurisdiction by federal courts and other authorities, the SLC can play a crucial third-party role in (1) helping to determine and oversee voluntary actions that can “head off” consent decree mandates by enhancing current operations or developing a Memorandum of Agreement with the oversight authority; (2) facilitating the reform process itself; or (3) accelerating the satisfaction of decree requirements. For example – and depending on the circumstances – the SLC can:

• Assist with the negotiation and implementation of collaborative agreements and alternative approaches to resolving lawsuits or satisfying jurisdictions that desire quick and cooperative resolutions. These strategies can be highly palatable to cities and police departments – in part because the language used typically evokes a spirit of cooperation from the beginning.
• Step beyond the monitoring role defined in the decree and help advance compliance rather than just evaluate efforts.
• Integrate the steps necessary to satisfy decree requirements into part of a broader reform agenda.
• Function as an intermediary between city officials and federal authorities (such as the Department of Justice) in order to prevent, mitigate or hasten the resolution of disputes over decree interpretation.
• Assist city officials in developing a strategic course of action to address consent decree requirements and other reform objectives. This can include a range of helpful tasks such as producing a compliance manual that clarifies for the city what the specific milestones expected of them are at each stage in the process.
• Leverage a collaborative approach rather than an adversarial one – through an emphasis on effective communications, relationships and partnership.