Why is there no good information on police officers?

The information was requested and was denied because the cities claim that they don't keep those records.  However, those departments are welcome to provide details of their "good record and officer" to be posted so that this site can be even handed.

Who owns this site?  

One or many very concerned persons.  So concerned in fact that thousands of dollars have been spent and are being spent to bring this data to the surface.  The persons who did the investigations where this information comes are not the owners and only contributed to this sites creation.  As to the names of the owner(s), that will only be disclosed if that person or persons decides it's in their bests interests.  So far it is not.  It's unlikely that the name(s) of the website creator(s) will ever be disclosed.  That's exactly what the police would like.

On a more sinister note.  The owner(s) believe and are convinced from the volumes of data they have at their disposal that the local police would retaliate.  Indeed it is believed that they (police) are largely uneducated, poorly trained, corrupt, vindictive and have an ingrained "us against them" mentality and will not resist the slightest temptation to "fix this problem" as they see fit.  Furthermore, the local police enjoy a work environment on NO accountability.  Consequently, the owner(s) have been forced to conduct business underground.

Does this site use tracking to be used in cases of abuse?

Yes.  That information will be turned over to the police when truly needed.  However, some of the information that isn't relevant will be redacted.

What will happen to this site if police and their officials attempt to take this site off the Internet?

They can't.  Legal battles will be waged.  This website can reside in many places throughout the world, out of United States jurisdiction and out of reach of U. S. officials.  You see, the police, their attorneys, the courts and the politicians are woefully inadequate, unprepared and impotent to deal with a site that combines the right to public disclosure, a free society, the technology that the Internet offers with someone that put it all together in this form.  They will make threats, they will posture and they'll say all kinds of nasty things about this site.  But they can't make it go away any more than the RIAA can stop MP3's from being traded on Napster.

What do the owner or owners of this site hope to achieve or get from this site.

The owner or owners wish to receive only the knowledge that this site helps the police curb their abuses and the public gets better service.  What is hoped to be achieved is that police officers or "cops" that abuse the public at large, take a good hard look at their conduct next time the deal with the public, that they treat that person with the utmost respect as a "public servant", emphasis added.  

Where did the information come from?

All of the information on this sites comes from public sources or on the Internet.  The vast majority of the information on this site was obtained from the Washington Public Disclosures act and/or the Freedom of Information Act.  In some rare cases, the investigators are fighting huge legal battles to bring this information to you.  The only persons that got paid for these legal battles are the attorneys.  Those attorneys are paid with your tax dollars.  The owner(s) will try to see that you get your moneys worth.

Does the owner or owners hate cops?

Not at all  The owner or owners know that their is a good cop out there somewhere.  And the investigators are still looking.  In fact the investigators did ask of every city listed on this site for some kind of record of officers that got meritorious awards of any kind.  ALL refused to provide the data citing it was "over burdensome".  

What about the officers safety at work, in the field and more importantly, at home with their families?

Police have a gun, a badge, a radio, and lots of buddies (with more guns and badges) that will come to their aid with a rabid fervor that we ordinary citizens don't deserve.  Police are trained to shoot to kill other persons THEY deem as a threat (and that is at wide discretion of the officer).  As the Walker shooting in Seattle proves, a clearly questionable shooting is REWARDED by the police guild and NOT reprimanded by the administration.  THEY DON'T NEED ANY MORE PROTECTION!

Our police have become a post facto military force against it's citizens.  In fact, they have claimed all kinds of wars against the public.  They claimed a drug war, a no protest zone, a war on gas masks as in WTO.  They've even made war on peaceful protesters at WTO (notice that the only people that were arrested, beaten, pepper-sprayed and tear-gassed were the PEACEFUL protesters were sitting down) all without name badges so they don't get sued.

What happens if an officer or their family get harassed, hurt or killed because of this site?

This site doesn't request anybody to take any specific action.  With that said:  1) It's not the owner(s) problem;  2) The person committing a violent or harassing act is a criminal and clearly had previous motivations;  3) The information on this site is publicly available anyway and this site is only a convenient repository.  4) this is all perfectly legal.

Is is proper to list Social Security Numbers (SSN's)?

Yes.  Since the federal government, state government (i.e.:  Department of Licensing) and virtually ever U.S. business (i.e.:  credit companies) all use SSN's to properly identify and individual, it's vitally important that this site also properly identify and individual.  Furthermore, this type is freely available on the Internet and from.

Would the owner or owners feel guilty if a person listed on this site got harassed or hurt?

Of course we would feel terrible, but it would not be the fault of this web site!  However, guilt is a wasted emotion.  The news media will always raise this issue (as if they don't know this already), but it's a red herring question to drum up sympathy for the "poor abused police officer".  This site felt it necessary to address this question.  Naturally all violent acts are a tragedy.  This site offers information for the use in legal process and for public knowledge.  This site has to weigh the responsibility to the public need against the needs of the officers.  The public good clearly outweighs the desires of the officers as they in fact are our employees.

Isn't providing information of this type unfair?

Of course not!  Police websites currently are doing the same things with sex offenders, outstanding warrants and of their own police officers.  They just don't like it when someone does it to them.