The FBI will begin collecting and providing to the public more information about police shootings of civilians, FBI Director James Comey announced Monday.

The agency also released its annual data on crime nationwide earlier this week. Federal officials have acknowledged a lack of reliable data about how often police officers use force in the line of duty. In a speech earlier this year, former Attorney General Eric Holder urged better record-keeping, calling the move a "matter of common sense."

Comey has also expressed frustration publicly with the absence of nationwide data following the Ferguson, Missouri shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.