Police hiring standards matter. But they alone cannot stop abuse

During a congressional hearing earlier this week, FBI Director Kash Patel defended changes to the bureau’s hiring standards. His testimony came just two weeks after reports surfaced of loosened hiring standards at another law enforcement agency in the US: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As a result, concerns have emerged about a retreat from standards intended to protect the public by offering a baseline of conduct for law enforcement officers. The American public is right to worry. Loose hiring standards can put reckless individuals in positions of power. But ensuring commitment to higher standards in law enforcement recruitment alone cannot solve the police violence problem in the US.