False Reporting of Law Enforcement Misconduct a Misdemeanor (S 2302)

We know from our experience that many victims of police misconduct do not file complaints, either because they believe it will be futile, or because they are fearful of retaliation. We also know that internal investigations rarely find an officer guilty of misconduct. As such, we opposed legislation which would make it a misdemeanor to knowingly file a false report of misconduct of any law enforcement, public safety official, or hospital staff because, as we argued, the victim understandably could fear the prospect of facing criminal charges if they file a complaint and the officer is exonerated. Because of this, we argued that this bill will serve as a tool to deter individuals from filing legitimate complaints of police misconduct.