# Plain Language Summary: Use of Force Accountability Act of 2021

This bill creates a requirement that states must follow independent investigations when police officers use deadly force that results in someone being injured or killed. The key idea is that when a police officer shoots someone, an outside party—not the officer's own police department—should investigate whether the shooting was justified. Starting three years after the bill becomes law, any state that wants to receive federal grant money for law enforcement (through two major federal funding programs) must have a law in place requiring these independent investigations.

The bill gives states flexibility in how they set up these independent investigations. A state could use a civilian review board to investigate all deadly force cases, assign the state attorney general to handle the investigation, bring in a prosecutor from outside the officer's department, or have different police agencies investigate each other's officers through formal agreements. The main requirement is that whoever investigates can't be someone who normally works with or depends on the officer's police department. Once the investigation is complete, the findings get sent to the officer's police department or its internal affairs division to decide whether any discipline is needed.

To help states implement these new requirements, the bill provides $750 million in federal grants between 2022 and 2025. This money is meant to help states build the systems and hire the people needed to conduct these independent investigations. The practical effect is that states will face a choice: either pass laws requiring independent investigations of police deadly force, or lose access to federal law enforcement funding. This creates significant pressure on states to adopt these accountability measures, though it gives them options for how to structure them based on what works in their particular state.

Use of Force Accountability Act of 2021

Crow, Jason

Use of Force Accountability Act of 2021 This bill requires, as a condition of eligibility for funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program and the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, a state or Indian tribe to take certain actions with respect to investigating allegations of use of force by law enforcement officers. Specifically, to be eligible for grant funds under the COPS program and JAG program, a state or Indian tribe must have in effect an independent investigation of law enforcement statute and a law or policy requiring the findings of an independent investigation to be referred for review and possible disciplinary action. The term independent investigation of law enforcement statute means a statute requiring an independent investigation in a criminal matter involving allegations of use of force by a law enforcement officer that resulted in death or injury. The bill authorizes the Department of Justice to award grants to help states and Indian tribes implement an independent investigation of law enforcement statute.