San Francisco, California — The city of Antioch has agreed to sweeping police reforms following a federal investigation that exposed widespread misconduct, racist communications, and civil rights abuses within its police department, according to a settlement announced Friday.
The agreement resolves a civil rights lawsuit involving 23 victims and mandates structural reforms aimed at preventing future abuses. Earlier this year, Antioch paid $4.6 million in monetary damages, while the newly announced 55-page settlement focuses on non-monetary changes, including independent oversight, enhanced training, and stricter accountability mechanisms.
The scandal emerged after investigators uncovered text messages exchanged among dozens of officers that included racist slurs, threats of violence, and casual discussions of excessive force. Those revelations triggered probes by the FBI and county prosecutors, ultimately leading to federal charges against 14 Antioch officers. Two former officers, Devon Wenger and Morteza Amiri, have already been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for civil rights violations and related crimes.
Under the settlement, Antioch will establish an independent civilian review board, appoint an external monitor, and implement early warning systems to flag problematic officers. Quarterly K-9 deployment data must be published, and misconduct reports will be forwarded to police leadership within 72 hours.
City officials say the reforms are designed to modernize constitutional policing and restore public trust. Civil rights attorney John Burris, who represented the plaintiffs, said the agreement mirrors long-term reform models used in other troubled departments and could serve as a national template for sustained accountability.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
