Inspector General Suggests New York Police Track Lawsuit Data

The inspector general of the New York Police Department is suggesting the NYPD track data on lawsuits filed against officers to improve officer performance and identify trends of police misconduct.

The IG issued a report Tuesday. In the past five fiscal years alone, the city has seen 15,000 more lawsuits filed against the department, at a cost of more than $200 million.

Inspector General Philip K. Eure says other police departments harness data to address behavior that may otherwise go unidentified.

The NYPD uses a computerized system for tracking officer performance and police trends. But it isn’t tracking key indicators found in lawsuits, like core allegations.

The office found a need for better communication between the NYPD and other agencies that also track lawsuit data.