Cities Say Federal Overhauls of Police Bring Mixed Results

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department's agreements to overhaul troubled police departments around the U.S. have been popular in some places, but they have also delivered mixed results.

In Seattle, officials credit a consent decree for providing officer training and improving attitudes toward police.

But in New Orleans, some officers say an agreement hurt morale and causes officers to be less aggressive.

The Obama Justice Department saw such probes as essential in holding local law enforcement accountable for unconstitutional practices such as excessive force and racial bias

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, installed at Justice by President Donald Trump, has a different view. He's expressed concern that the federal scrutiny can malign entire agencies and harm officer morale. He's signaled his Justice Department may back out of such arrangements with troubled police agencies.