Public transparency in law enforcement reflects the degree to which an agency engages with members of their community about strategies and daily operations through publicly available information. This includes sharing information or engaging with the community about policy changes, responses to crime and other public safety priorities, use of new technology, and protocols for responding to and communicating with the public during and after critical incidents.

Cropped view of a woman's hand holding a microphone towards a person in police uniform, with a blurry group of seated children in the background.

Resources Related to Public Transparency

  • Implementation Tools

  • Type of product

  • Audience

  • Reset

Report | 2025

Smart Cities: Technologies and Policy Options to Enhance Services and Transparency

  • Public Transparency

Report | 2024

Considerations for Specialized Units: Checklists for State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies to Ensure Appropriateness, Effectiveness, and Accountability

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Public Transparency

Guidebook/Tool | 2024

Considerations for Specialized Units

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Public Transparency

Guidebook/Tool | 2024

Operationalizing Proactive Community Engagement: A Framework for Police Organizations

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Public Transparency

Guidebook/Tool | 2023

A Toolkit for Community-Police Dialogue

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Public Transparency

Guidebook/Tool | 2023

Reimagine Policing Plan

  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Public Transparency

Report | 2023

Body-Worn Cameras a Decade Later: What we Know

  • Public Transparency

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

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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