A framework to forestall systemic police misconduct: Applying DOJ’S pattern or practice findings to municipal police

Abstract

Abstract The 1994 crime bill authorized the DOJ to investigate and initiate reform against law enforcement agencies for patterns or practices of systemic misconduct and unconstitutional policing. Among the 78 investigations conducted under this authority, 35 involve municipal police agencies with DOJ issued “findings letters” detailing policy, procedural, and operational deficiencies within the subject agency. These DOJ-issued documents were analyzed for consistent thematic insufficiencies across investigations, and tested for association with police organizational and environmental variables. From this analysis, a four-step framework was developed to offer police leadership the knowledge, tools, timing, and insight to forestall patterns or practices of systemic misconduct and unconstitutional policing within their agency.