"Allegations of police misconduct and widespread false arrests could not be verified by reporters because arrest records in cases where charges are ultimately dropped were made private in 2015."
The real answer is to make the original records easily viewable on an official government web site, but mandate that "CHARGES DROPPED" or "NOT GUILTY" or some other exculpatory language clearly appear whenever they are viewed.
Also helpful: fewer laws and fewer police. Every action and inaction doesn't need to be regulated and policed by petty government officials. Save the policing for theft and violence and let us otherwise live our lives as we choose.