man ent ▁external ▁o vers ight ▁ag encies ) ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁for ▁impro ving ▁police ▁account ability . ▁Civil ian ▁review ▁bo ards ▁tend ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁individual ▁compla ints , ▁rather ▁than ▁bro ader ▁organiz ational ▁issues ▁that ▁may ▁result ▁in ▁long - term ▁improvements . ▁▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁Vi ol ent ▁Crime ▁Control ▁and ▁Law ▁En for cement ▁Act ▁author ized ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁Justice ' s ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Division ▁to ▁bring ▁civil ▁(" pattern ▁or ▁practice ") ▁su its ▁against ▁local ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁ag encies , ▁to ▁rein ▁in ▁ab uses ▁and ▁hold ▁ag encies ▁account able . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁numerous ▁depart ments ▁have ▁entered ▁into ▁consent ▁decre es ▁or ▁memor anda ▁of ▁understanding , ▁requiring ▁the ▁ag encies ▁to ▁make ▁organiz ational ▁re forms . ▁This ▁approach ▁sh ifts ▁focus ▁from ▁individual ▁officers ▁to ▁police ▁organizations . ▁ ▁The ▁Department ▁of ▁Justice ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁component ▁called ▁the ▁Community ▁Rel ations ▁Service . ▁Over ▁the ▁years , ▁the ▁Community ▁Rel ations ▁Service ▁( CR S ) ▁has ▁helped ▁police ▁depart ments ▁and ▁communities ▁all ▁over ▁the ▁country ▁come ▁to ▁g ri ps ▁with ▁the ▁difficult ▁task ▁of ▁maintain ing ▁law ▁and ▁order ▁in ▁a ▁complex ▁and ▁changing ▁mult icult ural ▁society . ▁Fre qu ently , ▁these ▁efforts ▁have ▁involved ▁minor ity ▁citizens ' ▁compla ints ▁about ▁police ▁behavior , ▁use ▁of ▁force , ▁and