217 Today: Want to know a police officer’s job history? There’s a new tool for that from Invisible Institute

The National Police Index allows people to search an officer’s name, agency or unique identifier number and review their employment history. The tool currently shows data in 17 states, including Illinois, with more states expected to be available soon.

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Today’s headlines:

  • Many people struggle to engage in dialogue with people they disagree with, but a nonprofit known as Braver Angels is working to change that.
  • The University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign has closed a dining hall and some campus stores while building and food service workers are on strike.
  • Polling from an Illinois business group shows support for a new state law that prohibits some so-called “swipe fees” from credit card companies.
  • Last year saw an increase in the number of hate crimes against Jewish people nationally.

In today’s deep dive, we’ll learn more about a new tool launched by the Invisible Institute that shows the employment history of police officers.

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Mosqueda. Reporting today contributed by Anna Koh, Emily Hays, Alex Degman, Michael Puente, and Madison Holcomb.

 

Stephanie Mosqueda

Stephanie Mosqueda is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with minors in Spanish and public relations. She is the 217 Today producer and a reporter for the Illinois Student Newsroom.