"Generally, we’re talking about an extended period of time," Kenney said of consent decree timelines. In 1994, Congress gave the Department of Justice the power to address a pattern and practice of police misconduct within departments and to sue cities for civil relief. Consent decrees can involve any government agency, but are most commonly used with police departments. Since that time, how many investigations and decrees are started each year has become somewhat political. While President Barack Obama was in office, there were 25 investigations launched, resulting in 15 consent decrees entered into by the DOJ. By contrast, there were only three consent decrees during the administration of President George W. Bush.