Sources indicate that former police officer Derek Chauvin, currently charged with second degree murder of George Floyd, had 17 civil complaints filed against him. Somehow, for this egregious history of misconduct, Chauvin received one letter of reprimanding. 

Across the United States, only 12 states have police conduct records that are “mostly” public. In an effort to rectify a system that allowed the murder of George Floyd, and to obtain justice for victims of police misconduct, this open proposes that officer misconduct records be made public. Further, that five misconduct complaints result in immediate investigation as it pertains to the “Police Misconduct Provision” outlined by the Department of Justice.

Hopefully, gaining enough signatures will catch the attention of the ACLU and strongly urge them to push for nationwide reform through these provisions. This move will incentivize police officers to not only uphold a higher standard of conduct, but will also help in seeking justice for those wronged by their actions. Police officers are expected to serve and protect the public, and misconduct should be corrected swiftly and appropriately to ensure the safety of all citizens.

If civilians have public records, why should people in any state be unaware when officers have multiple complaints against them? Perhaps if there were a proper system in place to correct Derek Chauvin’s behavior -or better yet, dispel him from the force- George Floyd would still be alive today.

Victims of police misconduct deserve justice, and the people have a right to know.