The gloves have come off in the City's dispute with the feds over reforming the NOPD. Since reneging on its earlier support for the NOPD consent decree, the City has had plenty to say about the feds and their agreements. On Friday, it was the feds' turn to defend themselves from claims that the agreement designed to implement close to 500 reforms at the New Orleans Police Department was untenable. In a motion so long that it required a separate motion to let the judge know how long it was going to be, the feds issued a harsh rebuke to the City's claims, calling the Landrieu administration "cynical" and egregious distorters, among other things.

The owner of the Deepwater Horizon pleaded guilty in federal court today, marking the second Big Oozy culprit to stand before a judge and admit guilt in the 2010 oil disaster. In entering the criminal pleading, Transocean LLC agreed to pay $400 million in Clean Water Act, and submit to five years' probation.U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo formally accepted the settlement, and imposed the sentence on the Switzerland-based submersible rig company.

Update 2:30 p.m.

Ending months of stalled negotiations, a proposed consent decree that would serve as a roadmap to reforming Orleans Parish Prison. The feds, Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman and a group of class-action plaintiffs represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center who sued to stop abuse and neglect of prisoners at the jail, all agreed on the consent decree, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. However, funding leaves the implementation date of the reforms less clear.

After a couple reports and much talk, the feds signaled that they're ready to take official action against Orleans Parish Prison today. The U.S. Department of Justice filed court papers indicating they want to intervene in a class action lawsuit that challenges the conditions at OPP. The lawsuit, originally brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center against Sheriff Marlin Gusman and his office, lays out many fronts in which the jail's conditions don't meet Consitutional requirements.

The City's political borders are set for the next decade. Back in July, a City Council vote that redrew the city's chief municipal political boundaries split along racial lines after a testy hearing. By federal writ, the U.S. Department of Justice could oppose the locally-drawn borders if they see fit. But, this week, the DOJ indicated they had no objections. 

This afternoon, Mayor Mitch is announcing a grant from the Department of Justice that will increase staffing in the NOPD. NoDef is liveblogging the press conference.

Love them or hate 'em, NPR is America's National Public radio. (Literally.) Today, the rest of nation had the opportunity to catch up on Katrina, Danziger, and police corruption in New Orleans via a piece on Morning Edition. The piece focuses on the Danziger verdict's effects, and the potential that the ruling is a picovtal point in the campaign to change police culture. Listen and/or Read the Piece Here.

Amid brutality, racial profiling and discrimination, a scathing critique of the NOPD's treatment of K9 dog-cops didn't make major headlines when the U.S. Department of Justice's damning report on the NOPD was released. That might've been because the force's dog squad was put on hiatus months before the report came out. After spending the interval working out the kinks, and seven hours of DOJ progress tests last week, the K9 unit was reinstated today, according to a press release issued by the city. 

CBD - Before the Victorian backdrop at Gallier Hall this morning, federal officials indicated their desire that the New Orleans Police Department's long-maligned ways of doing business would also become antiquated. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the results of its longtime investigation into the New Orleans Police Department. In what was called a scathing report throughout the press conference, officials revealed findings that showed the NOPD was engaged in patterns of misconduct that violate consitutional and federal law. The city called on the DOJ to help restructure the police department soon after Mayor Mitch Landrieu took office. See all the findings after the jump.

As you might remember, the NOPD has a minor stigma attached to it. Something about corruption. You also might remember that said Police Department was a bit resistant to outside investigation. However, between a new mayor, and the threat of a complete federal takeover, eventually, the Blue Line broke, and the Department of Justice opened an investigation. Tomorrow, about a year later, the results will be in.