The city has announced a settlement in lawsuit that accused police of improperly spying on Muslims.

The suit, filed back in 2012, focused on the NYPD's use of informants in mosques and the gathering of information from Muslim student groups.

In the settlement, the city agreed to pay $75,000 in damages to the plaintiffs, as well as picking up their nearly $1 million in legal fees.

They will also re-emphasize existing guidelines about constitutional rights based on ethnicity and religion.

Police did not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement. 

Courts in New York and New Jersey, where the plaintiffs hail from, also did not find any unlawful activity by the police.

"While on one level, this is the settlement of a civil matter, on another level, it's part of the broader conversation that we've been advancing with the Muslim community while we try to work with all communities but also protect New York City from crime and terrorism," said John Miller, the NYPD deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism.

Farhaj Hassan, the lead plaintiff, says that the settlement will help uphold religious freedom in the future.

He added, "We are proud that we stood up to the most powerful police force in the country and against the suspicion and ignorance that guided their discmininatory practices."