US: Unjustified force, bias still plague New Orleans police

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department has filed arguments against ending a decade-old police reform agreement with the city of New Orleans. Federal lawyers said Friday the city has made progress in the years since a harshly critical report that followed the deaths of unarmed civilians after Hurricane Katrina. But, they say, there is still evidence of unjustified use of force, dangerous pursuits and biased policing. The consent decree governs a wide array of issues, including recruiting, training, discipline and use of force. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has argued that the bureaucratic demands imposed by the agreement add to the expense and workload on an understaffed police force.