SB 444 - This act modifies and creates certain reporting requirements for law enforcement agencies. POST COMMISSION OFFICER COMPLAINT DATABASE (Section 590.575)
The POST Commission shall create and maintain a database that shall store public data related to officer misconduct. Each law enforcement agency shall submit individual officer data which shall be redacted of personal identifying information of the officer.
The POST Commission shall submit an annual report using the information from the database to the Attorney General which shall evaluate the effectiveness of officer training and identify patterns of behavior of peace officers.
ATTORNEY GENERAL USE OF FORCE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS DATABASE (Section 590.1254)
This act establishes that the Attorney General shall maintain a database, available to the public, with data reported from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and law enforcement agencies within the state. Such data shall include information regarding:
• All use of force incidents by a peace officer that results in death or serious bodily injury, including information about the type of force used and other information as provided in this act;
• All resignations of peace officers for violating department policies;
• All data relating to peace officer contacts with citizens, including whether the contact was a traffic stop and what was the suspected offense;
• All instances of unannounced entry into a residence with or without a warrant;
• All settlements and judgments paid out by a law enforcement agency or government entity relating to a case of law enforcement officer misconduct.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and law enforcement agencies shall not report the name, address, Social Security number, or any other identifying information of the subject of the use of force by a peace officer.
The database maintained by the Attorney General shall be published on the Attorney General's website and shall be in a searchable format. The database shall be made available to the public by January 1, 2024. The database shall include a law enforcement officer identification system to track peace officer complaints from one agency to another.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol and any law enforcement agency that fails to report such data as provided in the act shall be subject to suspension of its funding by its appropriating authority.
PRELIMINARY LICENSURE STATUS CHECK (Section 590.1260)
This act provides that each law enforcement agency shall perform a preliminary licensure status check on any law enforcement officer before beginning employment. If a law enforcement officer has had his or her certification removed by the POST Commission or the law enforcement officer has been laid off for disciplinary misconduct by another law enforcement agency, the law enforcement agency hiring such officer shall publish notice on its website and hold public hearings before the officer is hired by the law enforcement agency.
This act is identical to SB 854 (2022) and SB 420 (2021).
MARY GRACE PRINGLE