CPE Blog
Welcome to the Center for Policing Equity blog, where we share insights to educate, inform, and inspire those who are working to reduce the harm caused by systemic racism and take bold action toward establishing equitable public safety systems.
Advancing Transparency and Equity in Watertown: A New Justice Navigator Assessment
Watertown’s latest Justice Navigator Assessment highlights progress, persistent disparities, and actionable insights for a safer, more equitable community.
Alternatives to Traditional Policing are In Demand – But Need Support to Work
In the years following the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, communities across the country launched a wave of new alternatives to armed police. Today, many of those programs face a critical question: will they receive the support they need to succeed?
Gang Databases and Immigration Enforcement: A Growing Problem
Created as a tool to quickly identify and document people suspected of having a connection to gang violence, gang databases have become a pipeline for federal immigration enforcement. On paper, tools like these look efficient and innocuous, but are actually created based on unclear criteria and inconsistent practices. The end result is often inaccurate and inefficient data that leans on the weakest points of the immigration enforcement system. In our new white paper, Gang Databases and Immigration Enforcement, the Center for Policing Equity (CPE) explores the disproportionate impact these databases have on marginalized communities and why the use of gang databases is an urgent problem. This blog post discusses this impact on communities and why the current political climate demands swift action to address these harms.
When Law Enforcement Meets ICE: How a Loss of Local Autonomy Puts Public Safety at Risk
Recent actions from the federal government have blurred the lines between immigration enforcement and local policing, with serious consequences for public safety. In response, the Center for Policing Equity has published a white paper that examines how federal immigration authorities can — and cannot — pressure law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to comply with immigration enforcement efforts. This blog post explores key recommendations that support communities and LEAs in pushing back against attempts to commandeer local resources and help LEAs define their relationship with ICE in ways that protect the rights and dignity of community members.
Police Violence Has Not Declined Despite Black Lives Matter-Era Policy Changes
In 2013, a year after the murder of Trayvon Martin, the Black Lives Matter movement mobilized to demand meaningful policy change to address anti-Black violence across the country. While many jurisdictions passed new regulations, such as chokehold bans, and created alternative response programs rooted in community care, a new CPE study reveals that the level of police violence in the form of nonfatal injuries has remained relatively constant. Real change has not been achieved. Our blog post delves into these findings and the urgent steps needed to create safer communities for all.
Building Safer Communities in the Antelope Valley: Why Earning Community Trust Matters
What does safety really mean in the Antelope Valley? During the Justice Navigator Assessments in Lancaster and Palmdale, CA, the CPE Community Engagement team met with residents to find out how to improve trust between communities and law enforcement. In these listening sessions, the CPE team learned that community members define safety not just through trust, but through authentic engagement and community-led solutions.
media and
press contact
The best way to reach us is by email. Be sure to provide your number, and we’ll call or email back right away!
CPE is happy to be a resource for editors, journalists, and media representatives who are looking to connect with experts in social justice, reform work in the field of law enforcement, policing equity, and public safety policies.