Keep Police Misconduct Complaints Public

Texas has open record laws that permit public review of police personnel files, which include any misconduct complaints against officers. The Texas legislature is trying to restrict that public access and shield law enforcement officers from public oversight. S.B. 15 would create a database for “unsubstantiated” police complaints and other records.

This database would not be subject to open record requests, meaning that victims of police abuse and misconduct would have to hire a lawyer—a move too expensive for many police abuse victims—to examine records of past complaints. Though the database will shield complaints only if they are “unsubstantiated”, there is no requirement for independent review before declaring a complaint is unsubstantiated, so supervisors with the most conflict of interest may get to decide. Among other issues, the bill would make it easier for the Texas Department of Public Safety to evade accountability for the law enforcement response to the Uvalde shooting.

Without transparency, Texas law enforcement agencies can not expect the public to trust them. Call your legislators, and demand that they oppose S.B. 15.