Article

Increasing Police Accountability: Restoring Trust and Legitimacy Through the Appointment of Independent Prosecutors

Author: Kami Chavis Simmons (Wake Forest University School of Law)

Abstract

It has become clear that there is a systemic problem with holding police accountable, as many officers have walked away scot-free in the wake of a number of recent police brutality incidents, including the tragic deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Gardner, and Freddie Gray. After assessing a number of proposals to address the accountability problem, this Article suggests that a focus on the appointment of special, independent prosecutors to handle these cases is important in order to hold police accountable for their brutal acts.

Keywords: police brutality, accountability, independent prosecutor, deadly force, Michael Brown, Robert McCulloch

How to Cite: Simmons, K. C. (2015) “Increasing Police Accountability: Restoring Trust and Legitimacy Through the Appointment of Independent Prosecutors”, Washington University Journal of Law and Policy. 49(1).