News & Updates

LOS ANGELES (AP) Police departments across the U.S. are using technology to try to identify problem officers before their misbehavior harms innocent people, embarrasses their employer, or invites a costly lawsuit from citizens or the federal government. While such “early warning systems” are often treated as a cure-all, experts say, little research exists on their effectiveness or more importantly if they’re even being properly used. Over the last decade, such systems have become the gold standard in accountability policing with a computerized system used by at least 39 percent of law enforcement agencies, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. The issue of police-community relations was thrust into the spotlight in August after a white officer fatally shot a black 18-year-old in Missouri. Since then, departments have held public forums to build trust with residents. Some are testing cameras mounted to officers to monitor their interactio