The Bad Cop Database

Keeping track of bad cops in the US of A makes good sense. Police that have a record of bad conduct needs to be addressed in both the courts and job market and a bad cop data base could help do this.

The largest organization of public defenders in the country is building a “cop accountability” database, aimed at helping defense attorneys question the credibility of police officers in court. The database was created by the Legal Aid Society, a New York–based nonprofit that represents an average of 230,000 people per year with a staff of more than 650 lawyers. The database already contains information about accusations of wrongdoing against some 3,000 NYPD officers, and is being used regularly by Legal Aid lawyers. The ambition behind the project is to create a clearinghouse for records of police misconduct—something the NYPD itself does not make public—and to share it with defense lawyers all over the city, including those who do not work for Legal Aid.

Cynthia Conti-Cook, a former civil rights lawyer, joined the Legal Aid Society last spring with the idea for the database, officially known as the Cop Accountability Program, already in mind. The reason she wanted to build it, she said, is that typically, when a criminal case begins, there’s a “big red arrow that says ‘criminal’ pointing to the defendant” and not much a defense lawyer can say other than “my client denies the charges.” With the database, a lawyer can quickly discover records of past misconduct by the accusing officer—if they exist—and with that information in hand, can “start shifting that red arrow toward the police officer, by showing that they’ve also been engaged in activity that deteriorates their credibility.” “It takes the judge’s attention away from what your client did wrong to get here, and puts more of a burden on the police officer to prove that your client actually did something,” Conti-Cook said. That matters, she added, because “more and more, in this broken-windows climate, the main and sometimes only witness in a case will be a police officer.”

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a reply to: AlaskanDad

So, if we use the very same logic being put forth by our civil service representatives, we should begin by assuming all and work our way down.

Not sure what the previous poster is alluding to, however im of the opine that this is a good idea and a worthwhile project. Given the radicalization of our police forces.......

What happens if and when the database gets hacked and compromised with dirty information?

originally posted by: stirling
Not sure what the previous poster is alluding to, however im of the opine that this is a good idea and a worthwhile project. Given the radicalization of our police forces.......

I think he/she left out the word "bad"

Like police seem to do to citizens, we should assume all police are bad and work from there.

originally posted by: six67seven
Not sure what the previous poster is alluding to, however im of the opine that this is a good idea and a worthwhile project. Given the radicalization of our police forces.......

I think he/she left out the word "bad"

Like police seem to do to citizens, we should assume all police are bad and work from there.

Yes, what he said.

The popular 'think blue line' metaphor which directs law enforcement to be in direct opposition to all civilians.

Ah I see....
Too bad we have no means to turn the situation around.....sarc

a reply to: xuenchen

They use the off line backup and restore the data, Duh!

I thought the first thing everyone learned about PC's was back up your data, but xuenchen must not have learned this.

a reply to: AlaskanDad

You should not assume that any data is safe. By official, usurper or crook, it can always be misused.

We have had a tradition against keeping written records of firearm owners for instance for a long while before we had electricity.

a reply to: AlaskanDad

Rouge LEO's naturally collect in the unions. Start there.

originally posted by: AlaskanDad
a reply to: xuenchen

They use the off line backup and restore the data, Duh!

I thought the first thing everyone learned about PC's was back up your data, but xuenchen must not have learned this.

They can compromise the "backups" too !!

That's how the con artists "validate" data.

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I won't stoop below you and resort to name calling.

I'm not a Leftist.
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originally posted by: xuenchen
What happens if and when the database gets hacked and compromised with dirty information?

Thanks for the try at humor. It's better than the half truths.

a reply to: greencmp

Humans are not perfect and everything we create has its flaws; but a data base that can be reached by the public would be an improvement on letting the police keep the records.

FTA:

something the NYPD itself does not make public

originally posted by: xuenchen
What happens if and when the database gets hacked and compromised with dirty information?

What happens when you get into your car today and a car accident happens. I don't think cars are a good idea.

originally posted by: AlaskanDad
a reply to: greencmp

Humans are not perfect and everything we create has its flaws; but a data base that can be reached by the public would be an improvement on letting the police keep the records.

FTA:

something the NYPD itself does not make public

Yes, transparency, independent oversight and dramatically reduced resources, personnel and authority.

All information available to civil authority should be reviewable and auditable by any citizen. Therefore, the scope of all information collected should be kept to a bare minimum.

a reply to: greencmp

The more I have thought on the idea of the "Bad Cops Data Base" the more i like it. We see here at ATS that a lot of police are out of control, yet our government has moved so slowly to correct this situation. It is refreshing to see legal aide has put a bad cop data base together in NY, going nationwide in policing our LEO's would be a huge improvement.

imho:
It will not be long before lobbyist's start trying to outlaw the "Bad Cops Data Base. police unions, jailers, private prisons, and drug cartels could also feel the effects of such a data base.

originally posted by: AlaskanDad
a reply to: xuenchen

They use the off line backup and restore the data, Duh!

I thought the first thing everyone learned about PC's was back up your data, but xuenchen must not have learned this.

Just to point out, backups aren't 100% secure. If you're the victim of a repeated attack that goes undetected, it's possible to make small changes over a period of weeks/months/years, that ultimately means any backup you have is also compromised. Hackers rarely do this, but disgruntled employees may.