After more than two decades, federal oversight of the Oakland Police Department is officially over. A federal judge on Tuesday terminated the court-ordered oversight that had been in place since 2003. Local leaders had been pushing for an end to the monitoring, saying conditions within the Oakland Police Department have changed significantly. The federal oversight stemmed from a 2003 settlement involving the notorious “Oakland Riders” scandal. The case centered on allegations that a group of officers within the department had brutalized suspects, planted evidence and falsified police reports. The settlement led to a series of reforms and federal monitoring designed to improve police practices and accountability. The department spent years working to meet the requirements imposed under the agreement. The judge’s decision marks a major change for the department, ending more than 20 years of federal supervision. Oakland officials say the move reflects progress made through those reforms and changes implemented within the department.
