police accountability and transparency

A state commission on police reform last year unveiled widespread inconsistency in what data New Hampshire police collect, on whom and in what circumstances.

Members of the Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community and Transparency emphasized the need for more standardized, transparent record keeping of police interactions at all levels — including race and gender data for arrests, stops and citations.

Three months after the New Hampshire Supreme Court delivered a transformative ruling over government personnel practices, including police disciplinary records, state lawmakers are considering creating new laws around them.

The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary committee will take up two bills Tuesday that take differing stances on how far the public’s right to know extends into the conduct of law enforcement. 

A long list of changes to the way New Hampshire police are recruited, trained, supervised and held accountable is about to move from the recommendation stage to implementation, with potentially far-reaching consequences for law enforcement and the public at large.

The New Hampshire Supreme Court has ruled that a confidential list containing the names of more than 270 police officers with sustained findings of misconduct on their records is not protected from release under the state’s Right to Know law. 

In her more than 30 years as a reporter in New Hampshire, Nancy West has earned a reputation: Blunt. Curmudgeonly. Unyielding.

At press conferences, West is often the one to insist that public officials stay for one more question. She’ll pursue the kind of needling line of inquiry that raises the temperature in the room for everyone. Public officials and press officers often know her by name, and, by now, they’re not afraid to ask her to tone it down.

Gov. Chris Sununu put into motion a set of 20 recommended changes to law enforcement in New Hampshire Wednesday – including, for the first time, a directive that New Hampshire State Police use body cameras.

A statewide commission on police accountability and transparency says the state should create an independent agency to handle complaints alleging misconduct against all New Hampshire law enforcement officers.

The recommendation is part of the commission's final report that was released Monday. Members have spent the last 60 days exploring how New Hampshire could improve its police practices.

A statewide commission on police accountability and transparency says that all New Hampshire police agencies should start collecting data on demographics, including race, for arrests, citations and motor vehicle stops. They say that data should be shared with the public.

Gov. Chris Sununu has granted a state commission on police accountability and transparency an extra 30 days to look into community relations and police misconduct. The commission, created in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, must deliver a full report with recommendations on police reform to the governor by the end of the month.

A statewide commission on police accountability and transparency has sent Gov. Chris Sununu recommendations for reforms to police training in New Hampshire.

Sununu created the commission in mid-June in response to the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Gov. Chris Sununu is pulling together a commission to look at police accountability and transparency in New Hampshire.

Sununu said he doesn't think New Hampshire is at what he termed a “crisis point” when it comes to police and community relations. But he wants the new commission to reexamine everything from police training to misconduct investigations and come back with recommendations within 45 days.

The goal, Sununu said, is to identify solutions that will enhance transparency.