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- Implement validated pre-employment screening mechanisms to ensure temperamental and skill-set suitability for policing.
12. Develop Mechanisms to More Effectively Respond to Allegations of Officer Misconduct
Responding to allegations of officer misconduct is critical not only to correct officer behavior and identify policy, training, or tactical concerns, but also to build community confidence and police legitimacy. FPD should:
- Modify procedures and practices for accepting complaints to make it easier and less intimidating for individuals to register formal complaints about police conduct, including providing complaint forms online and in various locations throughout the City and allowing for complaints to be submitted online and by third parties or anonymously;
- Require that all complaints be logged and investigated;
- Develop and implement a consistent, reliable, and fair process for investigating and responding to complaints of officer misconduct. As part of this process, FPD should:
- Investigate all misconduct complaints, even where the complainant indicates he or she does not want the complaint investigated, or wishes to remain anonymous;
- Not withdraw complaints without reaching a disposition;
- Develop and implement a fair and consistent system for disciplining officers found to have committed misconduct;
- Terminate officers found to have been materially untruthful in performance of their duties, including in completing reports or during internal affairs investigations;
- Timely provide in writing to the Ferguson Prosecuting Attorney all impeachment information on officers who may testify or provide sworn reports, including findings of untruthfulness in internal affairs investigations, for disclosure to the defendant under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963);
- Document in a central location all misconduct complaints and investigations, including the nature of the complaint, the name of the officer, and the disposition of the investigation;
- Maintain complete misconduct complaint investigative files in a central location;
- Develop and implement a community-centered mediation program to resolve, as appropriate, allegations of officer misconduct.
13. Publically Share Information about the Nature and Impact of Police Activities
Transparency is a key component of good governance and community trust. Providing broad information to the public also facilitates constructive community engagement. FPD should:
- Provide regular and specific public reports on police stop, search, arrest, ticketing, force, and community engagement activities, including particular problems and achievements, and describing the steps taken to address concerns;
- Provide regular public reports on allegations of misconduct, including the nature of the complaint and its resolution;
- Make available online and regularly update a complete set of police policies.
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