Description:
The COVID-19 public health emergency drastically affected law enforcement. The functions of law enforcement required in-person work and community interaction, and law enforcement agencies were challenged to maintain operational levels of service while keeping officers, employees, and community members safe. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC) monitored law enforcement pandemic response from March 2020 through the years end, sourcing data from public reports, meetings and forums, and personal correspondence. This report, Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC): COVID-19 Law Enforcement Impact and Response, synthesizes their findings into five themes, compiling challenges, promising practices, and lessons learned about administration and operations, community impact, crime trends, enforcement, and officer safety and wellness. Agency innovations and COVID-19 resources are highlighted throughout.
Objective Research for More Equitable Outcomes