Nearly a decade after the death of Freddie Gray, city attorneys and the U.S. Department of Justice are asking a judge to narrow the scope of the Baltimore Police Department’s federal oversight, removing requirements for the transportation of people in custody.

Gray died on April 19, 2015, from neck and spinal injuries sustained while he was being transported in a Baltimore Police Department van. A federal investigation found that officers placed Gray in handcuffs and seated him on a bench in the back of the wagon with his legs locked into a “leg lace,” but did not secure him with a seat belt.

A broader Justice Department investigation found a “pattern and practice” of unconstitutional policing in the city that led to a 510-paragraph agreement to reform the Police Department. Under the requirements for in-custody transports, the Police Department overhauled its fleet and safety equipment, improved video recording and data collection, and revised policies and trainings.

The city and the Justice Department filed a joint motion to terminate that section of the consent decree on Friday after a year of “sustained compliance” with the transportation requirements, as well as other provisions relating to helping police officers deal with stress and trauma.

In a statement, the city noted the “numerous violations” the federal investigation found with the Police Department’s transportation of people in custody, adding that “nowhere was this more evident than the tragic death of Freddie Gray.”

Mayor Brandon Scott said the consent decree milestone represented “an historic day for our city.”

“When I became mayor, one of my first priorities was to see the transformative work of the consent decree through to its completion,” Scott said. “Today, we can finally begin to see the finish line take shape.”

The joint motion comes months after the city shifted into compliance on two additional sections of the consent decree: policing First Amendment activities and fostering “community oversight.”

But the bigger picture is less rosy: The Police Department is in compliance with just four of 17 overarching provisions in the consent decree, including the two the city and DOJ are trying to get the judge to sign off on.

Though there has been progress, the city appears to be several years away from completely exiting the costly and onerous agreement.

City leaders and the federal judge have pointed to low staffing levels as the main impediment to the Police Department’s making more progress.

In the city’s statement, Police Commissioner Richard Worley said that he was “incredibly proud of the men and women of BPD for their dedication to building trust and service to our city.”

“Through enhanced policies, training and accountability systems, our department continues to self-assess and self-correct, ensuring lasting progress under our consent decree.” Worley said. “The public has my full commitment that these changes reflect a true cultural shift within BPD.”

U.S. Judge James Bredar will rule on the joint motion at the next public hearing for the consent decree in mid-April.