Staff Reports
The Biden administration is at it again, cooking up another scheme to keep the peace—or at least to give the appearance of doing something about it. The latest episode in this ongoing saga involves an update to an executive order that aims to create a national database tracking law enforcement officers accused of misconduct. This shiny new toy—branded as the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database—was first rolled out in May 2022, amidst the chaotic fallout from the 2020 George Floyd riots.
According to the White House press release, this latest move is all about making communities safer, which raises the question: what happened to “not letting a crisis go to waste”? The mission is supposedly clear. Biden and Vice President Harris are dedicated to “advancing effective and accountable policing.” One can’t help but wonder how effective and accountable policing can really be when it’s being reeled off like a catchy slogan. The executive order, grandly dubbed Executive Order 14074, is said to empower the Department of Justice to keep a close eye on unsavory characters in law enforcement. A noble goal, perhaps, but the devil is in the details.
After winning office following a wave of mass protests in 2020 over police killings of Black people, the Biden administration highlighted 'pattern or practice' investigations of alleged systematic civil rights violations by state or local police as critical to police reform 2/9 pic.twitter.com/jm1Y9Vj8Cc
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 29, 2024
The database aims to prevent police departments from hiring individuals with records that might raise a few eyebrows—rightly so. The administration boasts that every federal agency tied to law enforcement has signed up for this initiative, which must be a relief for those who worry about rogue officers slipping through the cracks like some nefarious criminal. The irony, of course, is that those who are supposedly keeping the peace are now being treated as potential criminals themselves, subject to scrutiny and database checks worthy of a reality TV show.
Since its inception, the administration has claimed that this database has improved transparency and effectiveness in police departments nationwide. They’ve tossed around figures suggesting that more than 4,300 law enforcement officers have been flagged for misconduct—thousands of incidents that now supposedly form a cautionary tale for future hires. But what’s really at stake here is how this move frames law enforcement as the enemy at a time when many genuine heroes are out there putting their lives on the line.
Every federal agency has dutifully submitted reports to the database, creating a paper trail of misconduct that even the most dedicated cop watchers might find impressive. With 150,000 law enforcement officers in the federal government, it’s hard to believe there’s a short supply of untarnished candidates. The administration is busy celebrating their early results, but one has to ponder: is this truly about enhancing public trust—or is this just another box-checking exercise in political optics?
So here we are, caught in a world where the supposed guardians of the law are now regarded with skepticism, having their records scrutinized as if they’re applying to a junior high school dance rather than serving their communities. As the Biden-Harris team rolls out the red carpet for this new database, it raises obvious questions about the focus on policing and public safety. Are they more interested in transparency, or is it just convenient to keep the narrative going that someone out there is “doing something”? The laughter might not come easy for those who see through this charade, but at least it’s good material for late-night talk show monologues.
