Reliability and Extent Of Release Raises Issue Of Competence

September 5, 2023 Press Release

The release of thousands of disciplinary records, involving police officers across the Commonwealth, some of which were admittedly unconfirmed, raises serious questions about the competence of the POST Commission, and has put the reputations of many hard-working honest police officers at risk. They are now vulnerable to attack by criminal elements and defense attorneys, who would use this information to harm their reputations and intimidate them from doing their jobs.

Perhaps what is more shocking is the cavalier attitude that the POST commission has taken toward the reliability of the information they were willing to release online. The commission openly admits in a disclaimer that prefaces access to the database, that they were not able to verify the reliability of all the released information, yet they released it anyway. Such action is irresponsible and reveals gross incompetence in the handling of very sensitive information.

It also threatens the legitimacy of the POST Commission and the overall effort to reform policing. Many police officers were willing to trust the POST commission because they understand that the need for reform is legitimate. They trusted the commission to work as a partner with them in the effort to improve the quality and the effectiveness of the police service. This particular release of unvetted information, which includes even minor disciplinary actions has betrayed that trust. The potential consequence of this action will be to increase resistance toward POST by police unions, chiefs and rank and file officers, without whose support a reform effort cannot succeed.

POST assured departments that their scope would be limited to serious cases of brutality, truthfulness and criminal activity. By exposing even minor disciplinary actions, which are often the result of arbitrary and capricious decisions made by police administrators, POST has contributed significantly to an effort to further demoralize a beleaguered and embattled service, hurting good men and women who are struggling against seemingly impossible odds to keep the peace.