Police Accountability and Transparency Act

Authored by Clinton Dunn
Published at 6:30 p.m., December 20, 2024

The following is a draft of a bill written by Clinton Dunn, the father of 13-year-old Texas cheerleader Hailey Dunn, who was abducted the day after Christmas in 2010, from her home in Colorado City, Texas. In June 2021, Shawn Adkins was arrested and charged with Dunn’s murder but subsequently released three weeks before the start of his trial, after prosecutors with the Texas Attorney General’s Office determined there were conflicting scientific reports regarding soil sample testing. Dunn’s murder has been re-classified as a ‘cold case/unsolved’ by the Texas Rangers, and a reward of up to $3,000 is being offered for further information regarding her abduction and/or murder. Dunn has authored the bill in hopes of changing the way police are held accountable when mistakes are made during investigations, and is seeking a state representative from Texas or Indiana to co-write the bill.

Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed members of the legislative body, today I stand before you to
introduce a vital bill, “Rookies and Rejects,” designed to promote transparency, accountability,
and trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.
The crux of this bill lies in addressing two key issues: the transfer and mentoring of
inexperienced officers, or “rookies,” by senior officers with a history of misconduct, known as
“rejects.” These senior officers often switch departments to evade repercussions for their
actions, perpetuating a harmful cycle that undermines public confidence in our law enforcement
institutions.

The “Rookies and Rejects” bill proposes a comprehensive approach to tackle these systemic
flaws.

Implement stringent background checks and screening processes for both new recruits
and transferring officers, ensuring that only qualified individuals enter and remain in law
enforcement.

● A bill is hereby presented to mandate stringent background checks and
screening process for both new law enforcement recruits and transferring
officers. The screening shall include , but not be limited to, criminal history record
checks, personal references, and education and experience qualifications. It is
the intent of this bill to ensure that only qualified individuals enter and remain in
law enforcement.
Establish a transparent database of officer misconduct records, accessible to both law
enforcement agencies and the public, preventing the concealment of misdeeds and
fostering greater accountability.

● This proposed legislation seeks to create a searchable database of records of
officer misconduct, making them accessible to law enforcement agencies and
members of the public. The database will help to prevent the concealment of
misconduct and will foster greater accountability. Specifically, this legislation
requires that all records of officer misconduct be collected, compiled, entered and
maintained in a central repository annually. It also requires that these records be
accessible to the public and law enforcement agencies, with due respect to any
privacy concerns. In addition, the legislation calls for the establishment of a
system to ensure that all relevant misconduct records are correctly reported and
entered into the database. Finally the legislation seeks to provide law
enforcement agencies and members of the public with adequate means of
discovery and examination while maintaining the highest standards of privacy.
Develop a standardized training program emphasizing ethics, community engagement,
and de-escalation techniques to empower rookies to become responsible, empathetic
guardians of public safety.

● This proposed legislation seeks to establish a standardized training program that
covers topics such as communication and conflict resolution strategies,
community engagement techniques, and ethical decision making process. The
training program shall provide adequate resources to ensure all rookies receive
the same level of training and utilize evidence based practices to evaluate the
effectiveness of the training and to measure the safety and well being of the
public. This legislation will establish a process to investigate complaints of
misconduct and provide remedial action when necessary. It also requires all
rookies adhere to the establishment procedures, protocols, and guidelines set
forth by the department. Additionally this training program will advocate for
increased funding and resources to ensure that all departments have the
necessary equipment and personnel to effectively implement the training
programs.
Require periodic performance evaluations and retraining of all officers, maintaining high
standards of professionalism and conduct across the entire force.

● The bill seeks to ensure that the standards of professionalism and conduct
across the police force are upheld by requiring periodic performance
evaluation, psychological evaluation, continuing education, and retraining of all
officers on an annual basis. The bill further provides that all evaluations and
retraining shall be conducted in accordance with applicable laws, regulations,
and guidelines, and shall be documented and made available to the public.
Furthermore, the bill mandates that any officer found to be in breach of
professional and conduct standards shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary
action. Finally, the bill provides that a system of oversight shall be put in place to
ensure that the standards are properly enforced.
Establish a police-community advisory board with an independent civilian review board
with the authority to investigate and review complaints of police misconduct.

● This bill is proposed to establish a police Community Advisory Board and
an independent Civilian Review Board. The Board shall be the primary
body responsible for the investigating and reviewing complaints of police
misconduct. All members of the Board shall be appointed by the Mayor
and City Council. The Board shall have the authority to review complaints
of police misconduct, investigate allegations of misconduct, recommend
disciplinary action for police officers found to have acted in violation of
departmental regulations, and recommend changes to the departments
policies,procedures, and training. The Board shall also have the authority
to review the police department’s budget and recommend budget
modifications. The Board shall meet quarterly and shall submit reports to
the Mayor and City Council. The Board shall also have the authority to
hold public hearings concerning misconduct allegations or other matters
deemed necessary by the Board or by the Mayor or the City Council.
Create a law license for law enforcement officers.

● This is a crucial bill to ensure that police officers do not practice law without
adequate licensing. This bill suggests that law enforcement officers should
undergo a rigorous licensing process, just like lawyers, doctors, or registered
nurses. By requiring officers to attain and maintain a professional license, we can
further enhance the credibility of our law enforcement institutions and better
safeguard the rights of our citizens. The licenses shall be overseen by the state’s
licensing authority, such as the State Bar Association, or other appropriate
regulatory body. The licensing authority will be responsible for setting the criteria
and qualifications for licensure, and will be responsible for holding and enforcing
the standards and regulations of the licensing process.

Any officer who resigns during an internal investigation, that officer has to go into the reporting database By enacting the “Rookies and Rejects” bill, we take a bold step toward rebuilding the foundational trust between law enforcement and the communities they protect. Together, let us create a fairer, safer, and more just society for all.