Police and community activists will get a final chance today to tell a judge what they like and dislike about the settlement in Cincinnati's racial profiling lawsuit.

        More than 20 people are expected to testify at a “fairness hearing” in U.S. District Court.

        The hearing is one of the last steps in a process that began nearly two years ago when several African-Americans claimed in a lawsuit that police had harassed them because of their race.

        Negotiations to settle the lawsuit eventually expanded to include dozens of other complaints about police that came under review by the U.S. Department of Justice.

        The settlement calls for sweeping reforms of the police department, from citizen complaints to officers' training on use of force.

        Police, city officials and community leaders have publicly endorsed the settlement, but final approval rests with Judge Susan Dlott.

        “This will help the city put the whole thing in perspective,” said Al Gerhardstein, a lawyer for the plaintiffs who sued the city, alleging profiling. “It's a time when the process can be explained from beginning to end.”

        Most of those on the list to testify are expected to embrace the agreement, but a few may take the opportunity to warn both sides to stick to the terms of the deal.

        “I want to give some cautionary yellow lights,” said Keith Borders, former head of the Citizens Police Review Panel. “This has to be implemented and executed, not just put down on paper.”

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