Today, the District Court for
the District of Columbia approved a mediated settlement agreement
between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and a class
of African- American Special Agents which reaffirms the FBI's
commitment to reform of key aspects of its personnel system.
In 1993, the District Court approved
a settlement agreement ("Agreement") between the FBI
and the class. In the Agreement, the FBI undertook to make numerous
changes to its personnel system. When the Agreement expired
on October 14, 1998, the FBI had completed the vast majority
of its obligations. However, there remained some work to be
done. The parties subsequently entered into negotiations and
on May 17, 2000, the Court approved an amendment ("Amendment")
to the original Agreement that extended the time frames for completion
of those obligations yet to be completed. Because the class
asserted that the FBI breached the time frames for the original
Agreement, the FBI agreed to enter into mediation in order to
resolve the remaining differences. The Mediation Settlement
Agreement approved by the District Court today is a result of
these efforts.
Director Freeh and the FBI remain
committed to the obligations undertaken pursuant to the Agreement,
the Amendment, and the Mediation Settlement Agreement, and will
continue to vigorously work to complete those few remaining obligations
in a timely manner.