By MARTHA BELLISLE
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) - Hundreds of law enforcement officers across the country were fired, sometimes repeatedly, for violating policies but got their jobs back after appealing their cases to an arbitrator who overturned their discipline. It's an all-too-common practice that some law and policing experts say stands in the way of real accountability. The killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer sparked weeks of protests and calls for reforms, but experts say arbitration can hinder those efforts. They say the appeals process used by most law enforcement agencies contributes to officer misconduct, limits public oversight, dampens morale and jeopardizes criminal cases handled by dishonest officers.

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