Trump Administration Deletes Police Misconduct Database

 Posted on February 28, 2025 in Criminal Defense

During the last 20 years, awareness of police misconduct has risen. Since smartphones have allowed people to easily record videos of police officers, many incidents have been shared in which police have used excessive force. As people have called for police reform, asking for officers who engage in conduct to be punished, some efforts have been made to address these issues. However, after President Donald Trump took office for the second time, he has taken a more pro-police stance. One notable change he made was to shut down a database used to help prevent officers who had engaged in misconduct from being re-hired by other organizations.

This action, along with other steps taken by the Trump Administration, has caused criminal justice advocates to raise concerns, and unfortunately, the people who are most likely to be affected by these changes are citizens who are harmed by police misconduct. People who have their rights violated by police during criminal cases will need to take steps to address these issues, and they can do so with the help of a Connecticut criminal defense attorney who is willing to stand up against illegal and unethical law enforcement practices.

Executive Order Shuts Down Effort to Track Misconduct by Federal Law Enforcement Officials

In 2020, during Donald Trump’s first term as president, he issued an executive order in response to the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This order proposed a number of possible reforms meant to help reduce police misconduct, including the creation of a database that would allow both federal and state law enforcement agencies to share information about instances in which police officers had used excessive force. In 2022, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to create such a database, which was known as the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database (NLEAD).

NLEAD was created in 2023, but even though it was only in existence for a short time, it had provided invaluable information to law enforcement agencies. It was mostly limited to federal agencies, but it covered nearly 150,000 officers who worked for around 90 agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Border Patrol. Officials had been working to expand the database to include state and local law enforcement agencies as well by offering grants as an incentive to share data. By using the database when making hiring decisions, agencies could help prevent the possibility of an officer being fired for misconduct by one agency and then being hired by a different agency.

In one of the executive orders President Trump signed on the first day of his second presidential term, he rescinded President Biden’s order that created NLEAD. The database has now been deleted, and agencies can no longer access the information it contained. A spokesperson for the Trump administration stated that Trump’s reason for shutting down the database was because Biden’s executive order contained "woke" language, including calls for "equitable policing" that addressed "systemic racism in the justice system."

Criminal justice advocates and members of law enforcement, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, have lamented the loss of this important tool, which was created in consultation with police agencies and civil rights groups and included protections for officers, who were allowed to challenge inaccurate information. Multiple stakeholders agree that law enforcement agencies should have as much information as possible about potential candidates who have histories of misconduct. Shutting down the database is likely to have a negative impact on public safety and police accountability.

Contact Our Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers

While the Trump administration appears to be making an effort to limit accountability for police officers who engage in excessive force or other forms of misconduct, it is important to remember that people still have civil rights that should be protected. For those who have been harmed by the illegal actions of police, a skilled lawyer can be their best ally. At Woolf & Ross Law Firm, LLC, our Hartford, CT criminal defense attorneys can provide representation to those who are facing criminal charges, and we can also address issues such as police brutality, unlawful arrests, and harassment by law enforcement. To learn more about how we can help you protect your rights, contact us today at 860-290-8690 and arrange a free consultation.