Reaction To Johnston Settlement ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - By announcing a $4.9 million settlement with the family of Kathryn Johnston, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed today hoped to close a dark chapter in the city's history.

In 2006, Atlanta police officers lied about drugs being sold out of Johnston's home. The lie helped officers convince a judge to issue a "no-knock" search warrant for the home. Officers knocked down her door and shot the 92 year old woman to death. They found no drugs in her Vine City home.

The actions outraged citizens. Two of the officers accepted plea agreements. A judge sentence a third officer in court. Bad practices inside the Atlanta Police Department were exposed and changed.

The Johnston shooting revived an effort to oversee police misconduct in the city. The Atlanta Citizens Review Board called the settlement a good first step.

"This goes a long way to encourage the community to begin to heal and to address whatever issues they may have with the police department," said Beamud, the Board's executive director.

However, she says the healing process must include major reforms within the police department. Beamud says it's one thing to have a handful of rogue officers.

"But where you have a group of officers continuing to do the same kind of improper procedures, then you have to look at your systems," said Beamud.

Beamud says two big reforms are necessary. She says APD should scrap quotas for drug arrests and not allow officers to perform off duty jobs while on the clock with the city. © Copyright 2012, WABE