The Antioch Police Department has agreed to sweeping reforms to settle a civil rights lawsuit stemming from a 2022 scandal that exposed racist behavior within the department.

The settlement follows an FBI investigation that found roughly half of the Antioch police force had sent or received racist text messages, leading to mass administrative leave, resignations, and criminal convictions.

Attorneys and city officials signed the police reform agreement on Friday, marking what civil rights lawyers described as a turning point for the department.

"We have signed the agreement," said attorney John Burris, who represents the plaintiffs. "This has systems in place to hold officers and supervisors accountable."

Burris and other attorneys called the settlement historic, noting that the city chose to collaborate on reform rather than contest the lawsuit in court.

The agreement comes after 23 people sued the Antioch Police Department in 2023, alleging officers engaged in racial profiling and used excessive force.

Federal investigators also accused numerous officers of writing and receiving racist messages that included the N-word and depicted Black people as "monkeys" and "gorillas."

The investigation also found some officers falsified police reports. Many of those officers resigned, while several officers in the Atioch and Pittsburg police departments were imprisoned for violating people's civil rights and other offenses.

Community leaders said the reforms are a necessary step toward accountability and healing.

"We had bad police. We are in a healing process. So I wouldn't say that our community is in a kumbaya with our police department as of yet. Trust and healing, it takes time," said Porshe Taylor, chair of the Antioch Police Oversight Commission.

Taylor said the changes are intended to ensure greater transparency and accountability within the department.

"We are going to be patient because our community was hurt by our officers. And they deserve the time to learn the new officers, to gain the trust," she said.

Police Chief Joe Vigil, who was sworn in earlier this year, said the department is undergoing a cultural reset as it rebuilds.

"We are very much rebuilding the police department. But we are also understanding that as we rebuild, we are changing the culture. Me and my executive team set the standards of what good policing is in the City of Antioch, how we work with the community, setting our standards and setting our expectations so that this will not happen again," Vigil said.

Under the agreement, the police department will implement enhanced training, stricter oversight, and faster investigations into officer complaints. The department will also conduct regular use-of-force audits, expand the use of body-worn cameras, and introduce an early warning system to identify officers who may be at risk of misconduct.

"The early warning system, all of you should know it is very important to identify officers early who may be problematic. Doesn't mean you have to terminate them, but it does mean you'll give them an opportunity to correct their behavior," Burris said.

Some community members remain cautious, acknowledging progress while emphasizing that trust has yet to be fully restored.

"Many still have a lack of trust in the police. And I believe it's going to take some time. We have made progress, but we are not there yet," said Alicia Lacey-Oha of the Antioch Police Oversight Commission.

Despite lingering skepticism, Taylor expressed optimism about the department's direction.

"I'm optimistic for sure. We're going in the right direction, right? And as long as our trajectory continues, I foresee Antioch being a leader in how to rebuild and change the culture of policing," she said.

Attorneys noted that while the Antioch agreement shares similarities with the federal oversight imposed on the Oakland Police Department, they expect Antioch's reform process to be far shorter. The settlement is anticipated to last no more than five years, compared with the federal oversight in Oakland, which is still ongoing after more than two decades.