WASHINGTON D.C.
The Department of Justice announced Friday that they are improving the nationwide collection of data on police officers interactions with civilians, including the use of force by cops.
“I am incredibly proud of the work that this department has done, in collaboration with our state, local, tribal and federal partners, to expand and improve data collection,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch. “This work is vital. It will allow the nation to have a more informed and robust dialogue regarding use of force; it will improve transparency; and it will help to build stronger bonds of trust between law enforcement and the people we serve. The Department of Justice will continue to work alongside our partners to build on these efforts and to create a nationwide data collection system that is useful and meaningful for law enforcement and communities alike.”
The update includes the submission of a report to Congress outlining its plan for collecting data mandated by the Death in Custody Reporting Act or DCRA, and the publication of a notice in the Federal Register on the details of the collection method going forward under the DCRA.
“I am incredibly proud of the work that this department has done, in collaboration with our state, local, tribal and federal partners, to expand and improve data collection,” said Attorney General Lynch. “This work is vital. It will allow the nation to have a more informed and robust dialogue regarding use of force; it will improve transparency; and it will help to build stronger bonds of trust between law enforcement and the people we serve. The Department of Justice will continue to work alongside our partners to build on these efforts and to create a nationwide data collection system that is useful and meaningful for law enforcement and communities alike.”
In 2014, Congress passed the DCRA, which requires states and federal law enforcement agencies to submit data to the department about civilians who died during interactions with law enforcement or in their custody, whether resulting from use or force or some other manner of death, such as suicide or natural causes, and authorized the Attorney General to penalize non-compliant states.
The DCRA does not impose a reporting requirement for ¬non-lethal¬ uses of force by law enforcement.