Defining State and Local Authority: An Entry in the Policy Model Series
The Justice Collaboratory’s Policy Model Series offers concrete proposals to those
striving to achieve a community-centered criminal legal system, one focused on
promoting vibrancy over mere criminal control. Entries in the series are concise,
plainly worded, and reflect the latest thinking by leading experts. Our models are
intended to serve as templates for state or local laws, though their substance may
also be incorporated into agency policies, regulations, and guidance
Policing in America, perhaps more than any other governmental function, occupies a unique
place in the collective consciousness. Its triumphs and failings are the subject of daily media
coverage, public demonstrations of unprecedented scale, and political debate at all levels of
government, from town halls to the halls of Congress. However, despite the attention policing
receives, the laws and policies governing policing leave much to be desired, with even bipartisan
calls for policy changes too often failing to result in meaningful action by government officials.
Author: Jorge Camacho