OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA ¨C In 2000, police in the city of Oakland, California became a symbol of the worst of American law enforcement after a band of rogue officers known as ¡°The Riders¡± were accused of beating suspects, planting evidence and falsifying reports.
Today, as an outcry over police killings and excessive force radiates across the country, Oakland¡¯s police are becoming known for something quite different: restraint and reform.
Under scrutiny by a court-ordered external monitor and threatened with federal receivership, Oakland¡¯s 14-year journey from notorious law enforcement agency to reform-minded department illustrates the difficulty of changing the way police operate at time of national soul-searching over heavy handed police tactics.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.