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Maine’s Law Enforcement Agencies, Like Those of Most States, Don’t Track Complaints Against Police Officers
by Douglas Ankney
The WMTW 8 Investigates Team partnered with the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition to review hundreds of documents and other data obtained from 135 Maine law enforcement agencies (“Agencies”). The Agencies were asked to provide the number of citizen complaints against officers and the details …
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More from this issue:
- Prosecutorial Extortion: Alleged Drug Dealer Agrees to $300,000 Seizure in Face of Charges Threatened Against Entire Family, by David Reutter
- Seventh Circuit Vacates Sentence Because Government Failed to Meet Its Burden to Support Uncharged Drug Quantity Under Rule 32, by Douglas Ankney
- Drug Detection Dogs Are Unreliable and Reflect the Vicious Heritage of Their Slave-Hunting Dog and Police-Dog Predecessors, by Matthew Clarke
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Clarifies Prejudice Standard for IAC Based on Faulty Probation Eligibility Advice Is an Effect on Defendant’s Decision Making, Not Different Outcome, by Mark Wilson
- Everybody’s Guilty: To the Police State, We’re All Criminals Until We Prove Otherwise, by John W. Whitehead, Nisha Whitehead
- Colorado Supreme Court Announces ‘Reasonable Likelihood’ Framework for Determining Whether Trial Court’s Comments to Prospective Jurors Lowered Prosecution’s Burden of Proof, by Douglas Ankney
- Iowa Supreme Court: Warrantless Entry Into Home for Misdemeanor Arrest Violates Both U.S. and Iowa Constitutions and Requires Suppression of Evidence, by Mark Wilson
- Police Often Use ‘Cover Charges’ to Mask False Arrests and Police Brutality, by Casey Bastian
- Eighth Circuit: Government Breached Plea Agreement by Relying on Pre-Plea Conduct to Dispute Acceptance of Responsibility Despite Acknowledging Defendant Qualified for Credit in Agreement, by Richard Resch
- California Supreme Court Announces Uncharged Lesser Firearm Enhancement May Be Substituted Under § 12022.53, by Mark Wilson
- California Court of Appeal: Gang Enhancements Remanded for Retrial Under AB 333; Sameness Requirement Satisfied
- Maryland Court of Appeals: Kazadi Applies to Cases Where Issue Was Preserved at Trial but Appeal Not Yet Noted at Time Kazadi Decided, by Douglas Ankney
- Third Circuit Suppresses Evidence Found After Police Created Safety Concern to Justify Prolonging Traffic Stop, by Anthony Accurso
- California Supreme Court Announces Conspiracy to Commit Home Invasion Robbery Not Subject to Enhancement to Indeterminate Life Sentence Under Penal Code § 186.22(b)(4), by Matthew Clarke
- Fifth Circuit: District Court Miscalculated Sentencing Guidelines Range by Implausibly Finding Defendant Would Use All Cash Proceeds of Drug Sales Seized to Purchase More Meth to Resell, by Douglas Ankney
- Commentary: Exploring Implications of the Supreme Court’s Expansion of Second Amendment Rights, by Professor Douglas A. Berman
- Third Circuit: District Court’s Focus on Substance of Defendant’s Meritless Arguments in Denying Request to Represent Himself Resulted in Inadequate Inquiry Prior to Denial in Violation of Sixth Amendment, by Matthew Clarke
- Fourth Circuit: South Carolina Marijuana Law Not a Categorical Match to Federal Law for ACCA Sentencing, by David Reutter
- Hawai’i Supreme Court Holds Randomness and Violent Nature of Crime Alone Insufficient to Establish Exigent Circumstances for Warrantless Entry Into Suspect’s Home, by Anthony Accurso
- Tenth Circuit: Guilty Plea Not Knowing and Voluntary Because Sentencing Court Failed to Ask Follow Up Questions After Defendant Said He’s Off His Medication and ‘Mind Isn’t Right’, by David Reutter
- Sixth Circuit: COA Not Required to Appeal Order Denying Rule 4(a)(5) Motion for Extension of Time to File Notice of Appeal, by Douglas Ankney
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Clarifies Ex Post Facto Analysis Focuses on When, Not Where, Crime Occurred and Does Not Require Showing of Disadvantage to Defendant, by Douglas Ankney
- Inflation Transforming Petty Offenses Into Felonies, by Douglas Ankney
- The War in Ukraine Raises Awareness About Secure Communications During a Crisis, by Douglas Ankney
- Ohio Justice Calls for Plea Bargaining Reform to End ‘Sentencing by Ambush’, by David Reutter
- Your Data Is For Sale and Anonymization Is Meaningless, by Anthony Accurso
- NYPD Continues Its Longstanding Tradition of Thwarting Misconduct Investigations and Evading Accountability, by Douglas Ankney
- Michigan Supreme Court Announces Punishment for Second-Degree Murder and Involuntary Manslaughter When Based on Same Conduct Violates Prohibition Against Double Jeopardy, by Anthony Accurso
- FBI’s ‘Rich Neighborhood’ Breach Practice, by Jayson Hawkins
- Nebraska Company Providing Digital Wiretaps of Messaging Platforms to Law Enforcement Agencies, by Anthony Accurso
- Quattrone Center Reveals Lack of Transparency Concerning Prosecutorial Misconduct Claims Report identifies over 7,000 instances of state attorney conduct that ‘did not comport’ with ethical, procedural, or legal rules, by Casey Bastian
- Chicago PD Emphasizing Facial Recognition for Investigations, by Anthony Accurso
- Border Patrol Agents Track and Spy on U.S. Journalists and Unidentified Members of Congress, by Douglas Ankney
- Illinois Limits Police Access to Data Stored by Third Parties, by Anthony Accurso
- Maine’s Law Enforcement Agencies, Like Those of Most States, Don’t Track Complaints Against Police Officers, by Douglas Ankney
- ‘Freedom Commons Academy’ Provides Former Prisoners Housing and Structured Re-entry Services in Syracuse, by Casey Bastian
- Prosecutor’s Sentencing Message to Defendant: Insist on Trial, Pay with Your Liberty, by David Reutter
- News in Brief
More from Douglas Ankney:
- Second Circuit Vacates Above-Guidelines Firearm-Trafficking Sentence Based on Failure to Assist Law Enforcement and Unexplained Reliance on Factors Already Included in Guidelines Range, Sept. 1, 2026
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Convictions, Holding Requirement That Defendant Testify Before Displaying Hand Tattoos Violates Fifth Amendment, Sept. 1, 2026
- Ohio Supreme Court Announces Postconviction DNA-Testing Orders Need Only Identify Statutory Reason to Satisfy R.C. 2953.73(D) “Reasons” Requirement, Sept. 1, 2026
- Idaho Legislature Moves to Hide Execution Protocol from Judicial Scrutiny, Sept. 1, 2026
- New Jersey Court Rules That Denial of Transgender Prisoner’s Transfer Request Violates Neither Discrimination Law nor Equal Protection Clause, Sept. 1, 2026
- Federal Court Upholds Consultants’ Finding that Oklahoma Is Not Honoring Its Consent Decree to Provide Mental Health Treatment, Sept. 1, 2026
- BOP Denies Providing Substandard Dialysis Treatment Despite Prisoners’ Deaths, Court Filings, Understaffing and Lack of Oversight, Sept. 1, 2026
- New Jersey Supreme Court Orders Plenary Hearing Before Special Adjudicator on Reliability of Fingerprint Evidence, Holding Century of Judicial Acceptance Did Not Satisfy Trial Court’s Gatekeeping Obligation Under N.J.R.E. 702, Aug. 1, 2026
- En Banc Eleventh Circuit Announces All Parents, Including Those Convicted of Child-Sex Offenses, Enjoy Fundamental Right to Live With Their Children, Holding Alabama Residency Prohibition Subject to Strict Scrutiny, Aug. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Announces Courts May Examine Individual Officer’s Subjective Purpose When Assessing Whether Warrantless Administrative Inspection Was Pretextual, Holding Suppression Required Where Trooper’s Sole Motive for Stop Was Criminal Investigati, Aug. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- $13 Million Awarded to Exonerated Illinois Prisoner Tortured to Confess by Corrupt Cops, Aug. 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Conviction, Certificate of Innocence, False Imprisonment, Confessions - Coerced.
- San Diego Guard Who Fatally Shot Fleeing Detainee Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison, July 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Shootings, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Excessive Force (Police), Wrongful Use of Force.
- Safety of “The Wrap” Restraint Device Questioned Amid Fatalities and Criticism From Medical Experts, July 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Failure to Treat, Restraints, Police--Excessive Force, Federal Legislation.
- Jury Awards Over $24.4 Million to Kentucky Prisoner Exonerated After 22 Years, Bringing Total Payout for Him and Co-Defendant to Almost $45 Million, June 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Conviction, Monell Liability, Fabrication of Evidence, Failure to Disclose.
- The Recycled Police Officer: Research Reveals High Cost of Ignoring Prior Misconduct, May 1, 2026. Harassment by Police, Police Misconduct, Statistics/Trends, Excessive Force (Police), Police/Govt Misconduct.
- “I Have Nothing to Hide”: Why Innocent People Should Never Talk to Police, March 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Actual Innocence/Claim of Innocence, Interviews/Debriefing.
- Michigan Claws Back $1.2 Million Paid to Wrongfully Convicted Former Prisoner, Feb. 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Imprisonment, Qualified Immunity, Forensic Sciences, Fabrication of Evidence.
- Digital Parallel Construction: Detecting and Challenging Hidden AI, Jan. 1, 2026. Probable Cause, False Statements, Testimony or Documents, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Official Report, Exculpatory Evidence - Disclosure Obligations.
- Utah Supreme Court Announces Framework for Analyzing Combined Brady and Napue Violations, Affirms Postconviction Relief in Capital Murder Case, Jan. 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Prosecutor/Attorney General Misconduct, Perjury/Perjured Testimony, Constructive/Imputed/Presumed knowledge, Brady/Giglio/Jencks Act Issues.
- Generative Suspicion: What Defense Lawyers Must Know About AI-Generated Police Reports, Nov. 15, 2025. Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Daubert Standards, Witnesses - Examination of, Official Report, Brady/Giglio/Jencks Act Issues.





