Weeding out bad cops

Police reform, real reform that changes the system, begins with the hiring of police officers who can build trust within the community. Pennsylvania is setting a standard that other states should follow by putting a hiring process in place to identify officers with a history of misconduct.

A bipartisan effort in the state Legislature led to the passage of a bill requiring departments to identify officers with a history of “red flags” by adding that information to a statewide police misconduct database.

All departments are required to participate in the database, although the information contained in it will not be accessible to the public. Instead, departments will be required to use the database when they receive a job application from a prospective officer. If a department chooses to hire someone with a history of misconduct, they will have to write a public report explaining the reasoning.

The database is intended to prevent officers with a pattern of misconduct from jumping from department to department before any action can be taken against them. Absent such documentation, a police department may unknowingly hire someone who left a previous job because of a misconduct allegation that was not acted upon.

“They should not be allowed to go from department to department, and misconduct records need to follow these officers,” said state Attorney General Josh Shapiro in announcing the launch of the database.

He’s right. This is important information that needs to be shared among police departments, information that previously was not available when considering an officer for employment.

But the database cannot be the final determinant in the hiring process. Department heads need to remember that an allegation of misconduct is just that — an allegation. A prospective officer deserves the opportunity to explain a misconduct charge, especially if his or her record is otherwise clean. And the rights of accused officers must be taken into account, as well.

Departments must not use the database as a career killer without asking questions and seeking more information, especially for unsubstantiated charges. As the database evolves, some standards should be developed to protect officers who may have been unfairly accused of misconduct.

Overall though, this is a positive step in getting better police officers into the community and reestablishing trust with residents.