Deadly Force Independent Review Act of 2026

This bill requires each Federal law enforcement agency to establish and implement a protocol for investigating every instance where an officer uses deadly force. These protocols must ensure that all collected evidence is made available to appropriate State and local authorities. The legislation mandates that agency Inspectors General conduct an independent review of these investigations, if not conducted by them initially, to verify thoroughness, protocol compliance, and evidence support. The Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency is tasked with developing uniform, government-wide methodologies for reporting and investigating deadly force incidents. Furthermore, the Council of Inspectors General must submit quarterly reports to Congress and the Comptroller General, detailing all deadly force incidents, including referrals for criminal prosecution. These reports must include specific data points such as the race, gender, and age of those involved, the nature of force used, and any non-lethal efforts, but explicitly prohibit the public release or disclosure of personally identifiable information.