Conyers Applauds White House Police Data Initiative

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Obama Administration announced that 53 jurisdictions—including Detroit, MI—have committed to Police Data Initiative (PDI). As part of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, the White House launched PDI as a community of practices aiming to improve the relationship between citizens and police through uses of data that increase transparency, build community trust, and strengthen accountability.

House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) applauded the President’s Police Data Initiative with the following statement:

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

“Data collection is a critical component of law enforcement management and oversight.  Dating back to the Traffic Stops Statistics Study Act, we have sought federal data collection as part of means of improving law enforcement management, oversight and transparency.  This initiative represents a commitment by the federal government and major law enforcement agencies to lead the way in developing best practices for eventual use by all agencies.”

Conyers noted that, “Following the lead set by the White House, I hope that Congress can pass legislation to fully authorize programs like those highlighted by Policing Task Force as part of our Judiciary Committee Criminal Justice Initiative.  The full authorization of police practice programs will send the signal that the entire federal government has a long term commitment to developing concrete strategies that build community trust and security.”

Ranking Member Conyers is the sponsor of the Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act (H.R. 2875), legislation designed to provide incentives for local police organizations to voluntarily adopt performance-based standards to enhance both agency operation and community accountability.

LAW ENFORCEMENT TRUST AND INTEGRITY ACT SUMMARY by Beverly Tran

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