21CP conducts assessments of police departments and law enforcement organizations – identifying opportunities for enhancement and comparing practices and performance in light of best and promising, emerging practices.
We also guide community-based organizations and commissions charged with making recommendations about policing, establishing new public safety response programs, or evaluating law enforcement performance.
21CP regularly works with local and state governments, and with law enforcement agencies of all kinds and sizes, to help identify opportunities for police departments to enhance current practices, adopt new innovations, and customize practices that have worked in other places to meet emerging community needs. In some instances, these assessments are comprehensive, “360-degree” assessments that consider a diverse array of police practices and operations. In other instances, cities or police departments have a specific idea of the areas where they want assistance.
Our diverse group of consultants – with experience from law enforcement, academia, law, organizational change, city government, community organizing, and numerous other areas relating to public safety and community well-being – works in all engagements to generate specific, actionable recommendations. Often, 21CP also generates a specific implementation plan for jurisdictions, helping to translate substantive recommendations into an actionable plan for growth.
21CP has also assisted community-based groups and organizations charged with making recommendations about policing and public safety. We bring our experience and technical expertise both in policing and in community engagement to help ensure that a community’s diversity, expectations, values, and ideas are reflected in the work of these community-driven initiatives.
Examples of our Work
Port of Seattle. The Port of Seattle hired 21CP to conduct an assessment of its Police Department to ensure that its practices, procedures, and protocols sufficient embodied best practices across a host of areas. 21CP worked with a community-based task force and generated a final report that made a set of specific recommendations for improvements and enhancements. The Port of Seattle subsequently engaged 21CP to perform a follow-up audit to determine if it had satisfactorily implemented the recommendations from 21CP’s report.
Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City asked 21CP to engage with the community, analyze, and make recommendations on seven specific policing and safety topics, including de-escalation, accountability, law enforcement raining on crisis response, alternative response to mental health calls, the creation of a violence interruption program, officer access to mental health services, and other topics. 21CP provided a final report that included 39 specific recommendations. The City subsequently retained 21CP to assist it in implementing the recommendations.
South Bend, Indiana. The City of South Bend engaged 21CP to conduct a comprehensive assessment of its practices relating to use of force, body-worn cameras, accountability structures, officer wellness, and bias-free policing. 21CP provided detailed, pragmatic recommendations for implementing best practices and making evidence-based changes to its operations where needed. This work involved direct engagement with community, government, and police stakeholders.
Aurora, Colorado. The City of Aurora engaged 21CP to assess the Aurora Police Department’s policies, procedures, and operations and to provide recommendations for enhancing the Department’s efforts at providing safe, just, effective, and equitable public safety to the Aurora community. This engagement occurred in the context of other, separate inquiries into and relating to APD; the Independent Review Panel that addressed the death of Elijah McClain; the Colorado Attorney General’s Office conducting a “patterns and practices” investigation of APD; the Community Police Task Force reviewed APD’s practices and formulated specific recommendations. 21CP’s assessment focused on comparing APD’s practices, policies, and procedures against best, promising, and emerging national practices.
Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Grand Rapids City Commission created a Police Policy and Procedure Task Force to review the Police Department’s policies and procedures that may result in racial bias. 21CP served as consultants to the Task Force, providing in-depth technical assistance on nationwide best practices that help to ensure equitable outcomes while enabling effective law enforcement.
Tacoma, Washington. The City of Tacoma engaged 21CP to conduct a comprehensive assessment of its police department and provide a strategy for transformational reform. 21CP worked with community, political, and police stakeholders to evaluate a host of critical public safety and policing issues, including use of force; discriminatory policing issues; officer misconduct and accountability; officer recruitment, hiring, and retention; technology and resources; civilian complaints; stops, searches, and arrests; officer wellness; and crisis intervention. 21CP’s final report made a host of specific recommendations, and the City engaged 21CP personnel after the final report to help the police department implement its recommendations.
Raleigh, North Carolina. The City of Raleigh engaged 21CP to conduct an independent review of its police department’s practices, policies, and procedures on use of force and its response to protests and mass gatherings – and to provide concrete recommendations for reform. Across three phases of work, 21CP conducted an assessment and evaluation of the Raleigh Police Department’s practices with respect to force and protest response. A final report will summarize findings and provide detailed, pragmatic, and actionable guidance for the City and police department on how to improve and strengthen its performance.
Cincinnati. 21CP conducted an independent assessment of the police response and services in a high-profile incident in Cincinnati involving the death of a teenager. Specifically, 21CP focused on the police department response – and identifying policies, practices, procedures, and technologies that may have contributed to deficiencies in that response. 21CP produced final report and made recommendations to the City.
Bridgeport, Connecticut. The City of Bridgeport engaged 21CP to assess and make recommendations on improvements to the police department, including issues relating to use of force and supervision. 21CP worked closely with the Police Department, City officials, and Bridgeport stakeholders to formulate pragmatic, forward-looking recommendations for improving the quality of police services and the operations of the Department.