Recently, a district court judge threatened hefty sanctions against the city of Detroit for its inability to investigate citizen complaints about police brutality. In January, more than 400 citizen complaints had not yet been reviewed.

Accusing the department and its investigators of not understanding the significance of the situation, the judge found that the hefty backlog was unacceptable.

Detroit does not have a good record of investigating and resolving allegations of police brutality. In many cases, complaints remain pending for more than 90 days. For nine years, the city has been attempting to reform police procedures in arrests, use of force, and detention.

In 2003, the city was ordered to settle suits alleging detention of innocent witnesses to homicides, prisoner deaths in unsafe holding cells, and police brutality. Reform efforts have been plagued by delays, and the federal courts have extended deadlines repeatedly.

In 2010 and 2011, the city asked for extensions to address pending complaints and missed both deadlines. The city of Detroit did manage to bring down the number of pending complaints to 14 in March 2011, but the backlog increased again.

Although the judge acknowledged that the city is now 80 percent compliant with the 2003 court orders, he insisted that resolving long-pending citizen complaints remains an essential component of the reform plan.

Detroit is now required to meet progress targets and prove it by submitting monthly reports to the court. If they cannot comply, the city may be required to pay $1,000 a day in fines.

If you have been arrested without reason, or if you have been the victim of police brutality or any unnecessary use of force, it may be best to consult with an experienced attorney.

Source: The Detroit News, "Judge threatens to fine city $1,000 a day for police complaint backlog," Robert Snell, Jan. 30, 2012