Elected leaders
Today, Radley Balko asked his readers an interesting question as to whether appointing or electing law enforcement leadership had anything to do with police misconduct. It was an interesting question so I decided to run some analysis on our data and see if there were any correlations between misconduct rates and leadership selection types.
The results were sort of interesting.
First, just looking at overall misconduct per capita rates the results appear to indicate that agencies with elected leaders have less misconduct. Our 2009 Annual Report indicated that the national police misconduct rate was a projected 980.64 officers per 100,000. When we segment that into local Police Departments and Sheriff’s Offices we find that Police departments where leaders are appointed had a misconduct rate of 990.09 per 100,000 while Sheriffs offices where leaders are elected had a misconduct rate of 644.14 per 100,000.
Our 2010 data is somewhat similar in the breakdown. While the overall misconduct rate was 977.98 per 100,000, police departments had a misconduct rate of 1082.04 per 100,000 and sheriff’s agencies had a misconduct rate of 706.74 per 100,000.
So, it would seem that elected officials do better than appointed officials. However, when we look at the number of agencies and leaders implicated in misconduct we see something different.
In 2009 our data indicated that 10.8% of police agencies had officers involved in police misconduct while 7.8% of sheriff’s departments had officers implicated in acts of misconduct. But, in 2010 14% of police agencies had officers implicated in misconduct and 18% of sheriff’s departments had officers implicated in misconduct. Additionally, in 2010, 2.5% of police chiefs were implicated in acts of misconduct while 3.5% of sheriffs were implicated in misconduct. So, when we examine the numbers by agency the picture is a bit more muddled.
However, I personally think that, more importantly than how law enforcement leaders are selected, the laws and policies that govern those leaders and the people they lead are at least as equally important, if not more so. After all, even if you have a good leader in place, what good is it if state laws and local union agreements make it impossible for that leader to hold officers accountable for acts of misconduct?
The results were sort of interesting.
First, just looking at overall misconduct per capita rates the results appear to indicate that agencies with elected leaders have less misconduct. Our 2009 Annual Report indicated that the national police misconduct rate was a projected 980.64 officers per 100,000. When we segment that into local Police Departments and Sheriff’s Offices we find that Police departments where leaders are appointed had a misconduct rate of 990.09 per 100,000 while Sheriffs offices where leaders are elected had a misconduct rate of 644.14 per 100,000.
Our 2010 data is somewhat similar in the breakdown. While the overall misconduct rate was 977.98 per 100,000, police departments had a misconduct rate of 1082.04 per 100,000 and sheriff’s agencies had a misconduct rate of 706.74 per 100,000.
So, it would seem that elected officials do better than appointed officials. However, when we look at the number of agencies and leaders implicated in misconduct we see something different.
In 2009 our data indicated that 10.8% of police agencies had officers involved in police misconduct while 7.8% of sheriff’s departments had officers implicated in acts of misconduct. But, in 2010 14% of police agencies had officers implicated in misconduct and 18% of sheriff’s departments had officers implicated in misconduct. Additionally, in 2010, 2.5% of police chiefs were implicated in acts of misconduct while 3.5% of sheriffs were implicated in misconduct. So, when we examine the numbers by agency the picture is a bit more muddled.
However, I personally think that, more importantly than how law enforcement leaders are selected, the laws and policies that govern those leaders and the people they lead are at least as equally important, if not more so. After all, even if you have a good leader in place, what good is it if state laws and local union agreements make it impossible for that leader to hold officers accountable for acts of misconduct?
Idiots at work
- A number of Longueuil QC cops are being investigated for alleged excessive force against a 57yr-old woman who was thrown to ground at a fireworks show. [0] http://ow.ly/1viQQw
- Los Angeles Co CA settles suit for $650k to a man claiming police beat him at a traffic stop and a woman who was punched when she begged the cops to stop [3] http://ow.ly/1vi48S
- Hackensack NJ police union pres suspended & arrested for allegedly hitting a suspect in the head during questioning [0] http://ow.ly/1viQsa
- Kingsport TN cop resigned after arrested in connection w/massive child sexual abuse network that created child porn [0] http://ow.ly/1virAn
- Tucson AZ police lt suspended since June while investigated for chats describing fantasies of molesting young boys [2] http://ow.ly/1vikKc
- Crisp Co GA deputy arrested for attempted child molestation for arranging meeting w/15yr-old on internet in sting op [0] http://ow.ly/1vijLi
- Birmingham MI police account of why they shot dog to death contradicted by witnesses saying it wasn’t aggressive [3] http://ow.ly/1vifBV
- Lawrence MA cop’s home raided by FBI in unspecified investigation possibly part of corruption case against mayor [3] http://ow.ly/1vjs5o
- Miami Beach FL police IA officer & Tempe AZ cop named in suit alleging Shaquille O’Neal tried to frame biz partner [3] http://ow.ly/1vjhOv
- Midland MI cop pleads guilty to receiving stolen property for keeping flat screen TV stolen from a Rent A Center [0] http://ow.ly/1viqnB
- Zionsville IN police chief resigns while investigated for allegedly threatening his officers w/gun & evidence theft [0] http://ow.ly/1vipUX
- 5 Zionsville IN cops disciplined for failing to report misconduct by police chief who resigned over evidence thefts [0] http://ow.ly/1vjxXa
- Apple Creek OH police chief resigns after suspended & charged w/theft in office for stealing evidence & selling it [1] http://ow.ly/1vilrh
- Hesperia CA USD Police chief suspended after officers’ lawyer issues cease & desist alleging retaliation/harassment [1] http://ow.ly/1vipHc
- Seabrook NH cop accused of going on tirade about how he wouldn’t arrest a cop and threatened the officers who arrested him on drunk driving and hit & run charges. [0] http://ow.ly/1vigOq
- Freeport MI police chief faces “super drunk” driving charges after stopped w/BAC 2x legal limit [0] http://ow.ly/1vjgUn
- North Bay ON cop arrested on drunk driving charges after refusing breath test during routine traffic stop [0] http://ow.ly/1viVSP
- Montgomery Co MD police rebuked by judge over overly aggressive interrogation practices & failure to mirandize [0] http://ow.ly/1vgUpZ
- Benton Harbor MI police accused of tasering man after he was cuffed after allegedly mistaking him for drug dealer [1] http://ow.ly/1vgUpA
- RCMP sued by family of man shot to death in bdrm last yr by cops responding to dispute, RCMP refuses to release info [4] http://ow.ly/1vgLxy
- San Antonio TX police sued by family of man who died in custody, claim police won’t release information [3] http://ow.ly/1vgUmh
- Fullerton CA police accused of being abusive towards homeless in wake of criticism over homeless man’s beating death [3] http://ow.ly/1vgUiM
- 2 Boynton Beach FL cops arrested on falsifying report charges for allegedly lying about drug bust at motel [0] http://ow.ly/1vg6G2
- West Reading PA police sgt who is taser trainer arrested over videos showing him tasering several people for fun [0] http://ow.ly/1vg4rw
- Winn Parish LA sheriff indicted on federal distribution of methamphetamine charges along with 10 other people [0] http://ow.ly/1vgB4l
- Hoffman Estates IL cop on leave while subject of unspecified investigation involving work on auto theft task force [3] http://ow.ly/1vg3pS
- Woburn MA cop arrested on assault & battery charge on allegations he punched woman in face during argument at bar [0] http://ow.ly/1vg39O
- Oxnard CA cop assigned as school resource officer arrested on domestic violence charge involving unspecified woman [1] http://ow.ly/1vgUv4
- Roosevelt Co MT sheriff arrested on assault charges for allegedly throwing man through window in off duty bar fight [0] http://ow.ly/1vgm7U
- US Park Police accused of cracking down on drivers who stop to let pedestrians cross streets in response to accidents[0] http://ow.ly/1vg6Wf
- Manhattan Beach CA cop sentenced to probation in plea to hit & run accident, was fired after incident [0] http://ow.ly/1vgJgs
- NM state trooper arrested for resisting, refused to leave hotel while drunk, arrested in June for DUI w/kid in car [0] http://ow.ly/1vgUqC
- Miami Beach FL settles suit for $75k to gay man claiming cops uttered homophobic slurs as they beat him then arrested him for calling 911 to report seeing the officers kick a man in the head. [0] http://ow.ly/1veMK8
- Maricopa County AZ is being sued by 4 people arrested at a protest including a protester claiming deputies repeatedly kicked him after he was cuffed, a protester claiming she was denied treatment, and two legal observers claiming they were falsely arrested and detained longer than they should have been. [3] http://ow.ly/1veQga
- Syracuse NY cop investigated after video apparently shows him ram a handcuffed man’s head into cruiser for “mouthing off” [3] http://ow.ly/1vdTXr
- Desert Hot Springs CA cop sentenced to $3000 fine & probation on civil rights charge for tasering a cuffed suspect [0] http://ow.ly/1vebdM
- Corona CA police sued by ex-cop claiming she suffered retaliation for reporting misconduct by a gang unit leader [4] http://ow.ly/1vdBYr
- Philadelphia PA police accused of covering up cop’s federal firearms crime because of his high-rank relatives [4] http://ow.ly/1ve52i
- Muhlenberg PA cop suspended after arrested on allegations he put pistol in wife’s mouth & threatened to kill her [0] http://ow.ly/1veX7m
- Washington DC cop pleads guilty to stealing over $40k from 85yr-old woman she was assigned to help [0] http://ow.ly/1veevS
- Arizona DPS officer arrested on sexual abuse charge after allegedly groping a woman at a bar [0] http://ow.ly/1veboN
- New Orleans LA cop suspended after arrested along w/girlfriend on domestic battery charges after altercation [0] http://ow.ly/1vdXmT
- Prince George’s Co MD off-duty cops working security for party investigated for turning away EMTs after drowning [0] http://ow.ly/1veF6G
- Boynton Beach FL cop suspended after arrested for suspected drunk driving after crashing car into gate & flipping it [0] http://ow.ly/1veu7v
- Oak Hill FL disbands police department over issues that included allegations cops planted pot plants on mayor’s land [3] http://ow.ly/1veFXn
- Port Townsend WA police accused of excessive force on man who didn’t show ID during DUI stop, was a passenger [3] http://ow.ly/1vbBVs
- US DEA agents accused of throwing innocent veteran to the ground during wrong door raid, DEA denies allegations [3] http://ow.ly/1vceaZ
- Houston TX police say lights & sirens aren’t required when speeding to calls after speeding cop strikes pedestrian [0] http://ow.ly/1vbFs2
- Tulsa OK cops in corruption case sued by man freed after 2yrs into life sentence after drug informant admitted lying [0] http://ow.ly/1v9t4G
- Suffolk Co NY cop arrests news cameraman for obstruction as he films chase scene from public sidewalk a block away [3] http://ow.ly/1va8uo
- Glassboro NJ cop subject of brutality suit by woman alleging she was arrested for saying she was filing complaint [3] http://ow.ly/1v9Kr4
- Michigan Supreme Court endangers civil rights act by deciding sheriff not liable for deputy raping a female detainee [0] http://ow.ly/1v9u8o
- Shreveport LA cop in suit alleging he punched woman is fired for alleged unrelated violations of dept policies [2] http://ow.ly/1v9qfd
- Dallas TX police officer arrested on domestic violence assault charges
in unspecified incidentand unlawful restraint after allegedly pushing woman to the ground then cuffing her & threatening her with jail time after arguing with her about an ex-girlfriend. [1] http://ow.ly/1vcdIj
- Clark Co IN sheriff’s lt col arrested on misd domestic battery charges after wife reported incident to state police [0] http://ow.ly/1vcmIx
- Albuquerque NM cop arrested on DUI & criminal damage charges after showing up to ex-husband’s home drunk & angry [0] http://ow.ly/1vcGJ0
