Here are the 12 reports of police misconduct tracked in our National Police Misconduct News Feed for this Friday, April 6, 2012:

• Chicago IL sued by family of unarmed woman shot in back of head by off-duty cop who claimed self defense [4] http://bit.ly/Ho1Qmh

• Pine Bluff AR cop investigated for using pepperspray on jr-high kids because they didn’t get to class fast enough [0] http://bit.ly/Ho2ksG

• Des Plaines IL cop suspended 4mo for his involvement in an excessive force incident instead of fired in apparent deal to testify against other cop in brutality case [2] http://bit.ly/I7s25J

• El Paso Co CO deputy w/history found guilty of careless driving in crash that killed female Air Force captain [0] http://bit.ly/HwJUBE

• Pocahontas Co WV deputy indicted on 12 counts for sexually abusing 4 girls 1 woman in the course of duty [0] http://bit.ly/I9ucSh

• 3 New Haven CT cops arrested for interference, reckless endangerment illegal discharge of firearms outside of bar [0] http://bit.ly/Ho2ujC

• Minnesota state passes police union-backed law that effectively kills civilian oversight of police in Minneapolis [5] http://bit.ly/Ho1xrG

• Santa Fe NM cop gets probation in plea to larceny, drug possession, stalking harassment false imprisonment charges [0] http://is.gd/zMfhQG

• Westminster CO cop fired for unspecified reasons involving his investigation of high school sexting case [3] http://on9news.tv/Hg56h0

• Santa Fe NM cop caught on dashcam talking dirty to himself while masturbating in police cruiser while on duty [0] http://bit.ly/IfD3Nt

• Durham Co NC deputy resigns after arrest on assault charges in domestic dispute at his home [1] http://bit.ly/IkeuhQ

• Logansport IN cop fired for alleged misuse of city money involving unspecified purchase using city credit card [2] http://bit.ly/Ho22ln

Entering our third year of doing this I’m coming to the realization that I no longer have the ability to consistently track reports like I did when I started this project due to the changing nature of my employment. As I’ve said many times, if I had a choice and it paid enough to feed and house my family this would be my one and only full time job… however, the world just doesn’t work that way and I have an obligation to provide for my family.

Of course, I would rather not let the project die. But my only other option is to hand it over to someone else who may have a different agenda than I did. Throughout the years I’ve been resistent to letting others do work on this project because I felt strongly that it was important to make it difficult for others to suggest there was a bias involved in the data I produced. However, at the same time, my reluctance to take the limelight and preference to make this about the project instead of about me ultimately limited how much I could promote it. So maybe it will be better off in the hands of someone who doesn’t have the same ideas that I had about it.

Of course, I want you, the readers and supporters of this project, to have a say in this as well. I plan on making the decision and handing things over within a week, so come up with your suggestions and proposals by Tuesday and we’ll see if any make sense by next Friday, and hopefully switch things over then.

Until then, and as always, stay safe out there!