A new database has been launched in New Mexico that provides detailed information on police officers who have lost their jobs with one agency due to misconduct and then found employment at another. The National Police Index, created by a coalition of organizations led by the Invisible Institute, contains data on 5,185 currently active officers in New Mexico, including those with multiple employers and those previously terminated.
This database complements the New Mexico Department of Public Safety’s disciplinary database lookup tool, offering a more comprehensive view of officer employment history and potential misconduct issues. The creation of this database follows the establishment of the New Mexico Law Enforcement Certification Board in 2023, aimed at overseeing the investigation of police misconduct and preventing officers from moving between agencies with little transparency.
Advocates for police reform, such as the ACLU of New Mexico, emphasize the importance of transparency in law enforcement and the need for robust databases to track officer misconduct to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the community. Overall, the launch of the National Police Index in New Mexico marks a significant step towards increased accountability and oversight in policing.
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