New data could hold problem Indiana police officers accountable
Jan 16, 2025
(MIRROR INDY) — Data released this week allows members of the public to search the employment history for Indiana police officers, as part of a tool that could help hold problem officers accountable and fuel additional research.
The data was obtained by Mirror Indy and published by the Invisible Institute, a Chicago-based nonprofit news organization focused on holding public institutions accountable, as part of the National Police Index.
Making this data public could help attorneys, advocates and police departments trace an officer’s problematic behavior across multiple departments, said Valena Beety, a law professor at IU Bloomington and Indiana Innocence Project board member.
“For wrongful convictions, one of the leading causes is government misconduct either by police or prosecutors,” Beety said. “Being able to know someone has this track record means we can look at their cases.”
Similar data in other states have been used to identify so-called “wandering cops,” police officers who leave one department after committing misconduct but are hired by other departments.
In California, for example, reporters found more than 80 police officers still working who previously had been convicted of crimes. In Georgia, journalists found dozens of police officers who were forced out of previous jobs and later found work at public schools.
The Indiana data comes from the Indiana Public Safety Personnel Portal, a centralized database of public safety employee information.
The data includes whether an officer resigned, retired, was terminated or otherwise separated from the agency. The Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, however, cautioned that the data is submitted by local agencies and is not monitored for accuracy.
An officer listed as “discharged” generally indicates the officer was terminated or fired, but could also simply denote they left the agency for other reasons. Additional information should be sought from the local agency about the circumstances of an officer’s separation.
Even with its limitations, the data could lead to interesting research when paired with other information, according to Zachary Baiel, president of the Indiana Coalition for Open Government.
Researchers could learn more about the size of police forces, or which departments have high rates of turnover, for example.
“I think the more data that is publicly available, especially on these departmental employee matters, is a benefit,” he said.
You can access the National Police Index tool here.
Emily Hopkins is a Mirror Indy reporter focused on data and accountability. You can reach them on phone or Signal at 317-790-5268 or by email at [email protected]. Follow them on most social media @indyemapolis or on Bluesky @emilyhopkins.bsky.social.