Prosecutors are required to keep track of cops with credibility issues so that, if those officers are asked to testify in court, the defendant’s lawyers will be informed about the officers’ past actions.
In effect, prosecutors must notify defense attorneys of any information that could cast doubt on a cop’s testimony, since that information could potentially sway members of a jury and change the outcome of a case.
These lists of cops are often called “Brady” lists, after one of the early court rulings on the matter, although they are formally known as “potential impeachment disclosure” lists. Some county prosecutors maintain files with Brady material on officers, but don’t keep an actual
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