Biden wants more transparency for police disciplinary records. Experts say it’s harder than it sounds.

During a CNN town hall in Cincinnati, Ohio, this month, President Joe Biden called for use of a tool long touted by police reform advocates: access to police disciplinary records.

“We have to have rules where you can be able to determine what the background (is), how many times a cop has violated the rules, and be able to have access to what's going on in police departments so the Justice Department can get involved in whether or not they have to change their pattern and practices,” Biden said.

The fight for...