The issue focused on only one percent of an area in the city, or about 4,000 feet.

"It's a public policy question that we will have to study," said federal civil rights attorney Michael Chitwood, who was not involved in the lawsuit. "We may need to amend our laws to allow law enforcement officers to take these illegal activities off the street."

In court papers, lawyers for the police department say "the Court has made clear that government officials are responsible for enforcement of