Sign the petition: The Justice Department must publicly hold police accountable for the deaths of civilians in custody

U.S. Department of Justice

Earlier in March, three more police officers who killed unarmed, non-threatening black men will get away with it. Stephon Clark and Terence Crutcher's killers will not face any criminal charges.

Police are not above the law. We must not allow police who kill unarmed civilians--disproportionately black and indigenous people--to continue to escape accountability for extrajudicial violence against black and brown communities.

Despite high profile cases of police violence that make the news, law enforcement officers often withhold or cover up information about their crimes against civilians. However, the Death in Custody Recording Act (DICRA), requires police to report on civilians deaths in custody, no matter the cause. Police departments routinely fail to comply with DICRA, and the DOJ refuses to make DICRA data available to the public.

Sign the petition: The Justice Department must require police departments to accurately report civilian in-custody deaths and publicly share the data.

Police will continue to abuse their authority to enact racist violence on unarmed black, indigenous, and other communities of color as long as they are allowed to do so with no accountability.

It is outrageous how many officer involved shootings that result in death are ruled justifiable homicide. It is infuriating that the Justice Department, the highest law enforcement agency in the country, refuses to hold them to the bare minimum standard of reporting on the civilians who die in their custody. It is immoral that the DOJ hides what little data is available.

It's beyond time for state and local police departments to be held accountable for their crimes against civilians. Transparency is a MUST.

Sign the petition: The Justice Department must require police departments to accurately report civilian in-custody deaths and publicly share the data.

Participating Organizations:
Courage Campaign
Daily Kos
Every Case Matters (ECM)
Million Hoodies Movement for Justice
Other 98%
People Demanding Action
PFAW (People For the American Way)
Progress America

To: U.S. Department of Justice
From: [Your Name]

The Death in Custody Reporting Act is an important tool to track data about civilian deaths in police custody. There is no accountability without clear and accurate data. It is crucial that law enforcement is compelled to comply with reporting requirements or face consequences. Further, this information should be made readily available to the public.

I urge you to hold police departments accountable. Require them to comply. I urge your transparency. Make the data public.