Groups seek signatories by Wed. on letter asking attorney general to create overdue database on misbehaving police

Two advocacy groups are seeking additional signatories for a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland pointing out that the Justice Department has not met a deadline for creating "a centralized repository of official records documenting instances of law enforcement officer misconduct." In the draft letter, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and Government Information Watch say the deadline in an executive order passed months ago.

The database would address the issue of misbehaving police getting jobs in other jurisdictions after getting fired or resigning under pressure, the groups say: "It could reduce police misconduct by preventing so-called 'wandering cops' —law enforcement officers who have lost their job due to misconduct but are able to hop between agencies that are unaware of their past actions."

According to the letter, the database would fill another important gap. It notes, "The American people lack the information needed to scrutinize and,when necessary, challenge the decisions of their government. That is why a public, national database would be a major step forward for transparency."

The groups also write, "The need for a central database to hold law enforcement accountable has only grown more apparent, with the recent and brutal killing of Tyre Nichols underscoring the dire need for police reform to protect the safety of all Americans. . . . Police brutality in the form of excessive force, unjustified shootings, severe beatings, and fatal choking remains one of the most serious human rights violations in the United States. However, the prevalence of police brutality in America is not comprehensively documented."

They say their signature deadline is Wednesday, March 8.