The Seattle Police Department’s (SPD) federal consent decree is set to end after 13 years.

Judge James L. Robart ruled on Wednesday that hard work was done at all levels, making the department a “model for reform.”

“When you look at the use of force, 2012, one out of five incidents involving police there was unreasonable force,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said at a press conference Wednesday. “Now less than 1%. We’ve made tremendous progress.”

Harrell said that SPD Chief Shon Barnes has been in the field and working to facilitate hundreds of meetings to solidify community needs in the police department.

“While we embrace change and continue working towards becoming the best police department in the nation, we also understand that today’s ruling is just the beginning,” Barnes said. “Wi

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