After a three-year investigation, the U.S. Justice Department said today that the Newark Police Department is a corrupt, racist hive of unconstitutional behavior.

A few notable specifics from the DOJ's extensive review of the practices of the department which patrols a city that is plagued by crime (including crime by police officers), via the Star-Ledger:

Police failed to provide a sufficient constitutional reason for some 75 percent of pedestrian stops...

While blacks make up nearly 54 percent of the city's population, they account for 85 percent of pedestrian stops and nearly 80 percent of arrests...

More than 20 percent of officers' reported use of force was unreasonable and violated the constitution.

Newark's PD will now operate under civilian oversight for who knows how many years until they get their shit together. I expect them to be frequently stopped and frisked during that time. These people clearly have a track record of crime.

[Photo: AP]