CAN FEDERAL INTERVENTION BRING LASTING IMPROVEMENT IN LOCAL POLICING? The Pittsburgh Consent Decree Robert C. Davis Nicole J. Henderson Christopher W. Ortiz Vera Institute of Justice April 2005 © 2005 Vera Institute of Justice. All rights reserved. This project was prepared by the Vera Institute of Justice and supported by Cooperative Agreement #2002-HS-WX-K018 by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Points of view or opinions contained in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Additional copies can be obtained from the communications department of the Vera Institute of Justice, 233 Broadway, 12th Floor, New York, New York, 10279, (212) 334-1300. An electronic version of this report is available for download on Vera’s web site, www.vera.org. Requests for additional information about the research described in this report should be directed to Nicole Henderson at the above address or to
[email protected]. Acknowledgments This study was conducted under a grant from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), part of the U.S. Department of Justice. We are indebted to a number of individuals for their assistance in completing this project. In Pittsburgh, we would like to thank Chief of Police Robert W. McNeilly for his insights and interest in the project. The Pittsburgh Police Bureau was immensely helpful in many ways, including allowing us to visit police zones and interview officers over a period of three years. At the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, we would like to thank Witold Walczak for his assistance and comments.