Black Lives Matter launches initiative targeting contracts that block police accountability

A group of activists affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement have launched an effort to end provisions that help keep block accountability from police.

The group that includes Brittany Packnett, DeRay McKesson, Johnette Elzie and Sam Sinyangwe launched The Police Union Contract Project to study “the ways in which police union contracts that can make it difficult to prosecute or investigate errant police officers.

According to CheckthePolice.org, police contracts hamper accountability in the following ways:

– Prevent anonymous complaints on police officers from being investigated
– Mandate paid leave for police officers who kill
– Protect the identities of violent police officers from public scrutiny
– Restrict the amount of time a police officer can be interrogated for misconduct
– Prevent civilian oversight structures from being able to interrogate or subpoena police officers
– Limiting civilian oversight structures from being given the authority to discipline officers for misconduct

Read more: Huffington Post