The Cost of Police Misconduct Act of 2026 requires federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to report detailed information about lawsuits and settlements related to officer misconduct allegations to the Department of Justice. Federal agencies must begin collecting data 120 days after enactment, while state and local agencies that receive federal grant funding under the Byrne JAG program must do the same, with reports due annually by early March. The required data includes the number of settlements and judgments, details about the alleged misconduct type (use of force, racial profiling, wrongful death, etc.), demographic information about those involved, personnel actions taken, and the total amounts paid, including which sources funded the payments (agency budget, insurance, or the federal Judgment Fund).
The bill creates financial consequences for non-compliance: states and localities that fail to report face a potential 10 percent reduction in federal law enforcement grant funding. The Attorney General must establish a public, searchable database of all reported information (excluding officer names) within one year and publish annual reports to Congress starting in year three. The Government Accountability Office will also conduct a comprehensive study analyzing trends in misconduct costs and recommending reforms. The legislation does not override federal privacy laws protecting personal information.
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