by Stephen Sebald:

In an effort to end the war against police brutality, Senators Barbara Boxer of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey, have introduced a new bill that will increase police accountability. The Police Reporting and Information, Data and Evidence Act (PRIDE) will require the states to report to the Justice Department any time a police officer is involved in a shooting or other use of force that results in a serious injury or death. Under the legislation, the states must include the age, race, gender, and location of any victims, if they were armed, and amount of civilians and officers involved.

Since January, U.S. police officers have shot and killed at least 385 people, some of which have made national headlines. Many think that the lack of police accountability and excessive force are to blame. Currently, there is no federal program to collect data on civilians shot by law enforcement or police officers that are injured or killed in the line of duty. As of right now, reporting of these incidents is on a voluntary basis.

“Too many members of the public and police officers are being killed, and we don’t have reliable data to track these tragic incidents. This bill will ensure that we know the full extent of the problem so we can save lives on all sides.” Boxer said in her statement announcing the bill.

Don’t let police officers abuse their authority! If you are a victim of police brutality contact Erie, Pennsylvania’s experienced attorneys at Sebald, Hackwelder, & Knox for a free initial phone consultation. Call us at (814) 833-1987.