Key Observations
- There is a pressing need to track the volume of police officer misconduct and to understand how officers accumulate conduct violations while remaining active members of the department.
- Black officers have fewer accusations of wrongdoing than White officers, yet they are more likely to receive disciplinary action.
- Citizens should have confidence that their encounters with officers in the community meet professional standards.
- Police executives should be aware that officer misconduct or abuse of authority reflects negatively on the character of the department.
- Agencies must recruit, hire, and retain officers who are above reproach.
