Justice Department Shuts Down Law Enforcement Misconduct Database

The U.S. Justice Department has removed a federal law enforcement misconduct database originally proposed by Trump and created by Biden. The database had documented 4,790 misconduct cases between 2018 and 2023. Its removal does not affect the National Decertification Index for state and local police misconduct.

The U.S. Justice Department has discontinued the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database, a platform that tracked federal law enforcement misconduct. Originating from a proposal by Republican President Donald Trump and established by former Democratic President Joe Biden, the database's shutdown was initially reported by the Washington Post.

The database, which cataloged 4,790 misconduct records from 2018 to 2023, was decommissioned following Trump's revocation of Biden's executive order. The Justice Department's website confirmed the database is now inactive.

This move does not affect the National Decertification Index, a separate registry for state and local police officers who lost certification due to misconduct, according to the Washington Post. The initiative for the now-removed database came in June 2020 after George Floyd's murder spurred a call for accountability in law enforcement practices.

(With inputs from agencies.)