Federal oversight of Seattle's police department ends after 13 years

WASHINGTON, Sept 3 (Reuters) - A U.S. court on Wednesday returned control of Seattle's police department to the city, ending 13 years of court-ordered federal oversight of the department, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Justice Department made the latest recommendation in late July, saying the police department substantially complied with reforms to address civil rights violations and excessive use of force.

"Today, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington recognized the successful completion of the consent decree in 'United States v. City of Seattle', returning complete control of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) to the City," the Justice Department said.