It was 1979 when U.S. District Judge John T. Curtin first ordered the desegregation of Buffalo's police and fire departments.
Thirty-eight years later, the courts are closer than ever to ending their historic oversight.
Satisfied that the city is abiding by most of Curtin's landmark decrees, the judge now handling the case recently ended much of his order. The courts continue to oversee the selection of police and fire lieutenants.
The latest ruling by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo, who took over the cases when Curtin retired, came three months after lawyers on both sides pointed to a new generation of women and minority officers and firefighters in asking the court to end its oversight.