Require law enforcement agencies to submit information about officer misconduct to a national public database
Currently there is no national database tracking police misconduct. When an officer is fired for misconduct, they can simply move to another jurisdiction and be hired again. A proposal would create a national registry of police misconduct that police departments would be required to check before hiring officers.
Arguments For & Against
Pro Argument
Any effort to increase transparency and accountability starts with knowing who the bad cops are. Police departments have a right to know the history of the people they hire and empower with deadly force. Without a national registry, bad cops can just go from city to city, acting abusively without consequence. This information is also very useful in court when a judge or jury is trying to decide if an officer's misconduct was a one-time event or if they have a history of unlawful behavior.
Con Argument
Officers get unjustified complaints filed against them all the time, often by people trying to come up with an excuse for the behavior that prompted their arrest. A small mistake or wrongfully filed complaint could result in an officer being blacklisted and unable to find work.
Source document: PoliceReformQuaire0720.pdf
| Type | Organization | Date | Nat | Rep | Dem | Gap | Metric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New PPC Survey (2026) | Program for Public Consultation | February 2026 | 89% | 87% | 92% | 5% | favor |
| Deliberative Survey | Program for Public Consultation | July 2020 | 81% | 70% | 92% | 22% | favor |
Program for Public Consultation — February 2026
Require law enforcement agencies to submit information about officer misconduct to a national database so that this information is available to all other law enforcement agencies when deciding whether to hire an officer.
Program for Public Consultation — July 2020
Create a national database of police misconduct and require all law enforcement agencies to submit information about officer misconduct. This information would include: complaints filed by civilians against a law enforcement officer; disciplinary action taken against an officer such as a suspension, and the reason for it; firing of an officer and the reason for it; lawsuits against an officer, and their outcome. This database would be available to all law enforcement agencies as well as other government agencies and the public.
Related Policies
Prohibit the use of chokeholds
78% national support
Require police officers to intervene when another officer is using excessive force
88% national support
Require police to wear body cameras and use them during interactions with suspects
90% national support
Provide funds to states to hire independent prosecutors in cases of police using deadly force
78% national support