This core practice area includes developing and implementing use of force and related policies and procedures, including de-escalation, that address reporting, reviewing and investigating uses of force, and establishing accountability and monitoring procedures, such as after-action reviews, training programs, supervision, and transparency.

cropped view of female police officer standing guard

Resources Related to Use of Force

Visit the Knowledge Lab’s full resource index here.

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A Law Enforcement Officer's Duty Belt

Guidebook/Tool, Policy | 2023

Electronic Control Weapons

  • Crime and Violence Response
  • Use of Force

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
  • Officer Safety and Wellness
  • Public Transparency
A Law Enforcement Officer's Duty Belt

Article, Video | 2023

What Works in De-Escalation Training: Implementation Lessons and Taking it to Scale

  • Use of Force

Report | 2023

Body-Worn Cameras a Decade Later: What we Know

  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests
  • Use of Force
  • Public Transparency

Report | 2022

Launch Event Executive Brief

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Use of Force
A Law Enforcement Officer's Duty Belt

Article | 2022

Research on Body-Worn Cameras and Law Enforcement

  • Use of Force

Case Study, Report | 2022

Comprehensive Assessment of the Seattle Police Department

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

Report | 2022

Contacts Between Police and the Public, 2020

  • Stops, Searches, and Arrests
  • Use of Force

The information provided within these modules has been gathered from various sources, including legal reviews, research, and practitioner and department-developed resources. These webpage modules are intended to be a guide for departments to use to improve their 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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