The United States Department of Justice declared that they will conduct a thorough review on the San Francisco Police Department. This is in line with the case of Mario Woods, a black man, who was shot brutally by five SFPD police officers 2 months ago.
The DOJ stated that they started the investigation after the San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Police Chief Gregory Suhr requested them to do more comprehensive review about the case. It needs approximately 2 years with a report every six months to finish the investigation.
It was noted that the American Civil Liberties Union has requested to reopen the case of Mario Woods, but it will apparently result in a form of recommendations only, not counter-enforcable reforms.
"We will examine the San Francisco Police Department's current operational policies, training practices and accountability systems, and help identify key areas for improvement going forward," Attorney Lorretta Lynch said as per Yahoo News.
On the other hand, Gawker News reports that Woods' defendant expressed his feelings about the "comprehensive review" and he seems to be favorable about it. "This can be the first step in healing the division between the minority communities and the Police Department. Of course, the investigation should be without limitations and should allow for a wide open investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the policies, procedures and training, and let the chips fall where they may," he said.
With this "comprehension review", the US DOJ promises that the public can expect a "fair and square" investigation, according to the Two Way News. It added that this investigation will be in a "collaborative approach" which will hopefully get a satisfying result.
Atty. Lynch has assured the public that the Department of Justice is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of law enforcement throughout the United States, and this Collaborative Reform Initiative is a vital component of that effort.
