US senators call for mandatory reporting of police killings

[herding cats]

Source: The Guardian

A plan to force all American law enforcement agencies to report killings by their officers was unveiled by US senators on Tuesday, a day after the Guardian published an investigation into the fatal use of force by police.

Senators Barbara Boxer of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey proposed legislation that would demand all states submit reports to the US Department of Justice that they said would bring “transparency and accountability to law enforcement agencies nationwide”.

“Too many members of the public and police officers are being killed, and we don’t have reliable statistics to track these tragic incidents,” Boxer said in a statement. “This bill will ensure that we know the full extent of the problem so we can save lives on all sides.”

Aides to the senators said their bill, the Police Reporting of Information, Data and Evidence (Pride) Act, would force mandatory reporting on the same data being collected by The Counted, a database published by the Guardian beginning this week.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/02/us-senators-call-for-mandatory-reporting-police-killings

[gopiscrap]

1. This is way past due

[erronis]

8. Yes, why is this even necessary? The FBI should know about all of these, automatically.

[msongs]

2. how 'bout a racekteering investigation of police "unions"? nt

[happyslug]

19. Police Unions are doing they job, protecting their members, the problem is Local Government

Under the Union Laws of the US, Unions do NOT have the right to discipline they own members EXCEPT for anti-union activities (and then that is limited to expulsion).

Do NOT blame the union for District Attorney's NOT investigation or prosecuting police offices, blame the people who HAVE the power to discipline the police, their local Government, the Local District Attorneys and the local Judges.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. I'm so proud that he's my Senator!

I don't want to wait for the rainbow in the rose to appear - I want it now with the Congress I have.

[SoapBox]

4. Yes.

[BrotherIvan]

5. Excellent, good start

Accountability for police departments!

[PADemD]

6. Not just killings

Also deaths while in custody and the names of the officers who had custody. Any officer who has more than one prisoner death while in his/her custody should be investigated by the Justice Department.

[Ino]

12. ^^^ THIS ^^^

No classifying a death as a "heart attack" or "suicide" to avoid reporting it. They should ALL be reported.

[Jackpine Radical]

17. That's exactly what I was thinking.

[samsingh]

7. does this have to get past the stupid repug filled house?

[glowing]

9. Federal policing agencies should be a part of this list as well.

The FBI doesn't keep track of the numbers of citizens it kills either; and they barely investigate any of the instances. The Feds need to be held to account as well.

[d_legendary1]

10. FINALLY!

We keep statistics on drunk drivers, murderers, and rapists. Why can't we keep statistics on deaths by law enforcement?

[democrank]

11. K & R x 1000

[valerief]

13. And this request will die along with the far too many police victims.

Why? White bullies are paid to keep black upstarts in their place. The fascists need racism to thrive. We must hate each other, lest we notice the fascists.

[sadoldgirl]

14. This,of course, sounds good, but

does the federal government have the right to
dictate this demand to the states or even the
counties? Could there be an argument about
states' rights?

[vkkv]

15. Those Liberals are TAKIN' away OUR FREEDOMS again!

Now we HAVE to report PEOPLE WE KILL ??? Really??

[libdem4life]

16. The day After the Guardian? Coincidence? There go those nosy British, yet again.

Dash and Helmet cameras for all. Easily paid for out of the cut in "settlements". Then, make them buy Professional Insurance and insure themselves. That will be the quickest way for "policing themselves". The pocketbook, ultimately, the job.

[niyad]

18. that this is even necessary is a sad commentary on this insane country.

[happyslug]

20. What is the punishment for not reporting? a nasty note?

Unless the law has an effective punishment (and that it is enforced) this law is meaningless. Cutting funds, in my opinion, is not enough, the failure to report should subject someone to jail time. Without that punishment, then this law will be as useless as the existing law requiring Reporting of Police killers.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s1476

The bill was introduced but NO text is available at the present time:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/1476