Internal investigations are worthless because no organization is really going to investigate itself impartially: the investigation will inevitably be swayed by considerations of position, power, friendships, favors, and so on. Witness how police departments investigate officer-involved shootings: almost without exception, the departments find that the officer was justified in the shooting. Why not? The officer is one of “us,” the victim is one of “them,” so the investigation is generally cursory at best, taking the officer’s account as gospel even when video evidence contradicts the officer’s account. (Here’s an example of how a police department investigates itself.)
So getting independent investigators is a great first step. The press release from the US Conference of Mayors:
Under the leadership of U.S. Conference of Mayors President and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, the nation’s mayors today released their recommendations on improving community policing, following a four-month review of policies and best practices…
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The Grey Enigma 