Stops, searches, and arrests are some of the most common types of encounters that the public has with law enforcement. Each encounter also presents the opportunity for an adverse outcome, up to and including harm to officers and community members. Law enforcement agencies must ensure that all stops, searches, and arrests are made by the rights secured or protected by the US Constitution, specifically the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments, along with state and federal laws.

Ensuring stops, searches, and arrests are lawful and appropriate can help foster community trust and law enforcement legitimacy and promote a shared responsibility for addressing crime and disorder and other public safety priorities.

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Resources Related to Stops, Searches, and Arrests

Visit the Knowledge Lab’s full resource index here.

  • Reset

Report | 2024

Federal Justice Statistics, 2022

  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests

Guidebook/Tool | 2023

Coming Soon – Monitoring Police Consent Decrees: An Introduction & Starter Toolkit

  • Crime and Violence Response
  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests
  • Use of Force

Report, Webpage | 2023

Council on Criminal Justice Crime Trend Reports

  • Crime and Violence Response
  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests

Report | 2023

Equity and Law Enforcement Data Collection, Use, and Transparency

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests
  • Use of Force

Report | 2023

Evaluating the Utility of Sobering Centers: Analyses of Police and Sobering Centers Across Five Jurisdictions

  • Crime and Violence Response
  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Mental Health and Crisis Response
  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests

Guidebook/Tool, Webpage | 2023

Justice Department Fact Sheet on Implementing Executive Order on Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing, and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety

  • Crime and Violence Response
  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Mental Health and Crisis Response
  • Response to Mass Demonstrations
  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests
  • Use of Force

Guidebook/Tool | 2023

Vehicular Pursuits: A Guide for Law Enforcement Executives on Managing the Associated Risks

  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests

Report | 2023

Body-Worn Cameras a Decade Later: What we Know

  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests
  • Use of Force

Recommendations from Civil Rights Litigations

Explore the modules below to learn how Civil Rights Litigation has touched upon arrests, searches & seizures, and investigatory stops & detentions. The information provided within these modules has been gathered from various consent decrees, settlement agreements, and assistance letters. The modules are intended to support agencies in improving their Constitutional policing practices. Additional information and resources may be needed to implement the recommendations successfully. To learn more about civil rights litigation, visit the Knowledge Lab's Federal Interventions Dashboard.

The information provided within these modules has been gathered from various sources, including consent decrees, research, and practitioner and department-developed resources. These webpage modules are intended to be a guide for departments to use to improve their Constitutional policing practices. Additional information and resources may be needed to implement the recommendations successfully. This resource is intended to be dynamic, and the Knowledge Lab will continue to update and add to these modules to provide additional and current guidance for departments.

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Explore targeted areas such as evidence-based de-escalation, responses to mental illness, lawful procedures, and fostering just, fair, and impartial police practices. Elevate your agency's performance and legitimacy with our guidance and support.