Sen. Merkley announces legislation for national police misconduct database

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A politician from Oregon announced legislation that would create a national database to track police misconduct.

U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) said the National Police Misconduct Database and Transparency in Hiring Act would allow greater oversight and accountability for police officers. If passed on Capitol Hill, the law would create a publically accessible database of officers who engaged in misconduct, discrimination, or inappropriate use of force. The act would also make chokeholds a civil rights violation and put an end to no-knock warrants.

“We count on the police to protect and serve. We cannot allow officers who abuse their badge through racism and brutality to continue do so time and time again,” Merkley said. “We can’t legislate away racism or wave a wand to change culture, but we can make sure that there are mechanisms in place to hold people accountable for wrongdoing. A national database of police misconduct will be a critical tool for accountability—one of many reforms we need to honor the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others who should be with us today.”

Senator Merkley released the following statement on June 5:

Like many, I’ve been inspired and moved by the hundreds of thousands of people across America speaking out and standing up for Black lives. There is no magic wand for righting historic wrongs, but there’s also no excuse for inaction.

It’s important that I acknowledge the immense privilege I have to not only have a voice, but to be in a position where I can work to change the laws. The weight of that is not lost on me, and I will work beside you—all of you—to make that change happen, and to make it happen now.

It’s also important to make clear that none of this would be possible without the leaders of color who have invested their time, money, blood, sweat, tears, and even their lives advocating, building this movement, and proposing solutions. These ideas and proposals are their work. I’m writing some bills, and supporting some of the great work my colleagues are doing to change federal law to accomplish these things:

Create a publicly searchable, national database of police officers who are found to have engaged in misconduct involving inappropriate use of force or discrimination.

Require national data collection of police-involved uses of force, including the demographics of officers and civilians involved.

Make police use of chokeholds and other physical tactics that restrict oxygen or blood flow a civil rights violation.

Require mechanisms for civilian oversight and review of local police departments’ policies and actions.

End the use of no-knock warrants, such as the one that led to the horrific death of Breonna Taylor.

End the use of qualified immunity to shield rogue police officers from legal accountability.

Incentivize states to pursue independent investigations, and, where warranted, criminal prosecutions of deadly force incidents, as well as training that emphasizes de-escalation.

Outlaw racial profiling in policing.

Require police to intervene if other officers are using excessive force.

End the transfer of battlefield-grade weapons from the U.S. Armed Forces to police departments.

This list is only a start. Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris are putting together a package of comprehensive reforms to fundamentally change law enforcement for the better. They are strong, thoughtful leaders and I look forward to working with them on these issues.

We will not be able to scrub out this long-standing stain of racism and oppression overnight. But a new generation of leaders is in the streets today, marching, fed up, demanding change, and writing a new chapter for civil rights and justice.

I hear you and I am with you in this struggle.