Wandering cops shuffle departments, abusing citizens

By WILLIAM H. FREIVOGEL and PAUL WAGMAN/Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
ST. LOUIS (AP) — One of the biggest roadblocks to police accountability is so-called “wandering cops” who lose their jobs in one place only to be rehired in another. Most states keep the names of disciplined officers secret and the vast majority of departments do not fully investigate the background of an officer they are hiring. Police chiefs, who have found it difficult to rid their departments of problem officers, generally support stronger laws. Police unions oppose them, arguing that past allegations – many of them denied – shouldn’t follow officers through their careers.