Representatives from the U.S. Justice Department will sit down today in settlement talks that may put an end to the racial profiling lawsuit filed against the city.

        In an atmosphere that was much calmer than in recent weeks, representatives for the police department, the ACLU, the Fraternal Order of Police and Cincinnati's black residents met for nearly 12 hours Thursday at the federal courthouse downtown.

        “We're inching along, but we're getting there,” said Ken Lawson, an attorney representing the plaintiffs. “It's not like it was last week.”

        After interviewing black citizens across the city, the American Civil Liberties Union and a group of local black activists last Marchasked that a racial profiling case already filed against the city be certified as a class action.

        Instead of heading to court, the parties decided to try an unprecedented process to settle the lawsuit with the help of the community. Negotiators have been working since then to craft a settlement based on a foundation of citizens' ideas.

        Intense talks last week at Xavier University suggested a possible breakdown in negotiations, but each side took a week to regroup and returned to the bargaining table Thursday.

        “People are passionate still,” Vice Mayor Alicia Reece said. “But we're down to now making sure of the language, the cost and who shares what responsibility.”

        One of the most contentious issues has been how or if recommendations from a separate Justice Department investigation — called by Mayor Charlie Luken after the April riots — would be included in any settlement in the racial profiling lawsuit.

        Another question has been how an agreement might be monitored, and whether there would be one overseer for both sets of recommendations, since both address many of the same issues.

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