MIAMI, March 17 (UPI) -- Miami may be approaching another watershed in police relations with the African-American community after almost 40 years of on-and-off violence.
A verdict in the federal trial of 11 police officers accused of cover-ups involving shootings of suspects is expected as soon as this week, while the Justice Department has issued a report critical of the Miami Police Department, and a new police chief is working diligently to repair the damage.
Miami's racial violence started with the Watts-era riots of the late 1960s. Deadly riots ensued in 1980, 1982 and 1984 after the beating death of black insurance agent William McDuffie and again in 1989 when Miami police officer William Lozano shot and killed a black motorcyclist.
Now a jury is about to deliberate the trial of 11 police officers charged with using throw-down weapons in the shootings of four black men to make it look as though they were threatening the officers before they were shot.
An innocent verdict could mean trouble for Miami-Dade County and the city of Miami, the nation's impoverished big city.
"We're praying that our community has grown to the degree that there will not be any outbreak of violence," said the Rev. Willie Sims, a Baptist minister who has been a member of the Miami-Dade County Community Relations board since 1980.
"Everything is speculation on our part. Any time you have 11 officers on trial for corruption -- the community is attuned to that," Sims said. "You hear about it in church, schools and on street corners."
He said one of the differences this time around is that the trial is in federal court and therefore is not being televised as it could be in Florida circuit court.
"They are only getting reports at the end of the day. They don't have a clear understanding and knowledge of the proceedings," Sims said.
"I'm not predicting anything, but our people (the community relations board) will be prepared," said Sims, an African-American peacemaker in every disturbance since the McDuffie riots.
"We will be in court this week trying to anticipate a timetable -- when it will go to the jury and when there will be a verdict," he said.
The trial is ending months earlier than expected. In closing arguments Monday, the prosecution said three men were killed and one was wounded in the four shootings.
The defense argued it never happened and it couldn't be proven even during a trial that took 10 weeks.
"This is an example of improper, twisted, sneaky prosecution," said defense attorney Roy Kahn.
Closing arguments continue Tuesday, and the jury is expected to get the case Wednesday.
The end of the trial comes on the heels of a preliminary report from the Justice Department that concluded that the Miami Police Department has to do a better job of defining appropriate use of force.
It also said the department needs to change the way it conducts searches and seizures, uses firearms and works with police dogs. It recommends a "find and bark" policy for canines rather than "find and bite."
Mayor Manny Diaz had asked for an investigation last year, and received a mixed reaction.
"We were part of a group that met with them last year," Sims said. "We know there is a lot of work that needs to be done to enhance police cooperation, but they're on the right path.
"People need to study the report, critique it, determine how to implement it and give it a sense of urgency," Sims said.
"We can't ask parents of any community whether their sons and daughters will become victims of those put in place to protect them. That we can't tolerate," Sims said.
John Timoney, Miami's new chief of police, had a positive attitude to the report.
"There isn't really any major disagreement," said Timoney, who took the chief's job this winter. "Our review that's going on presently is even more extensive and exhaustive."
Sims said the community should give the new chief time to make changes.
"He's coming in with a new-broom approach. He's got to have a period of time to allow him a chance to succeed," Sims said. "Right now, it's looking like he is working with diligence. I can't be for or against him.
"But I know he's making changes. That's not a bad thing," Sims said.
