New DOJ database tracks federal officers’ misconduct to boost public trust

[Lauren Taylor]
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS STEPPING UP ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY FOR FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

FOLLOWING YEARS OF CALLS FOR MORE CRACKDOWNS – ON ALLEGATIONS OF OFFICERS’ MISCONDUCT – THE D-O-J ANNOUNCED MONDAY – THE CREATION OF A NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY DATABASE.

THE NEW SYSTEM WILL RECORD DOCUMENTED INSTANCES OF MISCONDUCT BY FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT INADVERTENTLY REHIRED BY ANOTHER FEDERAL AGENCY..

THE DATABASE IS PART OF A MAY 2022 EXECUTIVE ORDER BIDEN ISSUED TO INCREASE PUBLIC TRUST AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

THE E-O COMMITTED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO NEW RECRUITMENT, HIRING, PROMOTION, AND RETENTION PRACTICES FOR OFFICERS – AS WELL AS ENHANCED TRAINING AND OVERSIGHT.

THE DATABASE WILL CONNECT ALL FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES UNDER ONE ACCOUNTABILITY STRUCTURE FOR MORE COMPLETE AND THOROUGH VETTING OF JOB CANDIDATES.

IT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE ONLY BY AUTHORIZED FEDERAL PERSONNEL AND NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
HOWEVER – DOJ OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT CONTAINING AGGREGATED DATA – WITHOUT INFORMATION ABOUT INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS.

ALL FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WILL HAVE UNTIL FEBRUARY 16, 2024 TO REPORT RECORDS FOR THEIR PERSONNEL.

RIGHT NOW – THIS IS ONLY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

SO — DOJ OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL ENTICE LOCAL AND STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO PARTICIPATE IN A DECERTIFICATION DATABASE – BY PROVIDING FEDERAL GRANTS TO AGENCIES THAT USE THE DATABASE TO HELP THEM VET CANDIDATES DURING THE HIRING PROCESS – THE WASHINGTON POST REPORTS.

THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL HIGH-PROFILE USE-OF-FORCE INCIDENTS OF LOCAL AND STATE POLICE OFFICERS – WHERE THE OFFICER WAS LET GO FROM ONE DEPARTMENT AND THEN RE-HIRED BY ANOTHER IN A SEPARATE JURISDICTION.

FOR EXAMPLE – MYLES COSGROVE, THE FORMER LOUISVILLE POLICE OFFICER WHO FAILED TO FOLLOW DEPARTMENT PROTOCOLS DURING THE RAID ON BREONNA TAYLOR’S HOME IN MARCH OF 2020 – WAS FIRED IN JANUARY 2021 AND THEN RE-HIRED BY A KENTUCKY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR.

IN A STATEMENT — PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID: “THIS DATABASE WILL ENSURE THAT RECORDS OF SERIOUS MISCONDUCT BY FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE READILY AVAILABLE TO AGENCIES CONSIDERING HIRING THOSE OFFICERS.”