Leaked police files contain guarantees disciplinary records will be kept secret

[bananas]

Source: Guardian

Contracts between police and city authorities, leaked after hackers breached the website of the country’s biggest law enforcement union, contain guarantees that disciplinary records and complaints made against officers are kept secret or even destroyed.

A Guardian analysis of dozens of contracts obtained from the servers of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) found that more than a third featured clauses allowing – and often mandating – the destruction of records of civilian complaints, departmental investigations, or disciplinary actions after a negotiated period of time.

The review also found that 30% of the 67 leaked police contracts, which were struck between cities and police unions, included provisions barring public access to records of past civilian complaints, departmental investigations, and disciplinary actions.

Samuel Walker, a professor in criminology at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, said there was “no justification” for the cleansing of officers’ records, which could contain details of their use of force against civilians.

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/07/leaked-police-files-contain-guarantees-disciplinary-records-will-be-kept-secret

[bemildred]

1. Police are above the law, see? They have to be to protect us all.

Only if they are free to savage the disobedient can the existing order be maintained. It is a fragile, artificial order that is only maintained by great effort and we should not put any obstacles in the way of the police, who only want what is right and best for us.

[7962]

2. Crap like this is what turns people against unions.

They get so arrogant they stop "protecting" workers and start "covering" for workers. And it doesnt just happen with the cops either. My former place of employment had the same problem. You just could NOT get rid of the bad apples. Look at the NYC teachers union for another example

[Taitertots]

6. The police "union" should be opposed.

Opposing sociatially unbenefitial unions strengthens the case for unionization.

[DetlefK]

3. Remember FOP's initial reaction to the data-theft?

"What could there possibly in there? Lot's of boring administrative paperwork and legalese! Why would anybody be interested in that? Move along, nothing to see here!"

Looks like this paperwork is interesting after all...

[Downwinder]

4. Apply the same limits to criminal complaints and

arrest records.

[cstanleytech]

7. Arent arrest records kept private from the public at large?

[Downwinder]

8. You can go to most County web sites and see

who has been jailed in the last twenty years.

[Hoppy]

5. A union can ask for any clause to be added to any contract. The employer does not have to accept it.

Still, if you ain't doin' nuthin' wrong, you ain't got nothin' to worry about.