(a) These Principles are intended to guide the conduct of all government entities whenever they search or seize persons or property, use or threaten to use force, conduct surveillance, gather and analyze evidence, or question potential witnesses or suspects. Entities that perform these functions are referred to as “agencies” throughout these Principles.(b) A subset of…

The goals of policing are to promote a safe and secure society, to preserve the peace, to address crime, and to uphold the law.

Agencies and officers must respect and protect the constitutional rights of all members of the public, including people suspected of crimes.

Agencies that exercise policing powers should, to the extent feasible, pursue the goals of policing in a way that reduces attendant or incidental harms. Toward that end, agencies should adopt rules, policies, and procedures that promote the preservation of life, liberty, and property; reduce the risk of injury to both members of the public and…

Agencies should, consistent with the need for confidentiality, be transparent and accountable, both internally within the agency and externally with the public.

(a) Agencies should operate subject to clear and accessible written rules, policies, and procedures. At a minimum, agencies should have rules, policies, or procedures on all aspects of policing that meaningfully affect the rights of members of the public or implicate the public interest.(b) Agency rules, policies, and procedures should—to the extent feasible and consistent…

(a) Agencies should ensure that individuals both outside and inside the agencies are treated in a fair and impartial manner, and are given voice in the decisions that affect them.(b) Agencies and officers should be truthful in their interactions with the public, with other government officials, and with the courts.

Policing agencies should work in partnership with their communities to jointly promote public safety and community wellbeing. Agencies should adopt a comprehensive organizational strategy that promotes and facilitates police−community partnerships through officer training, patrol assignments, metrics and performance evaluation, and department programs and initiatives.

All investigative and enforcement activity by officers or agencies should be based on, and should further, a legitimate policing objective.

Agencies may not engage in policing actions in order to generate revenue, and municipalities and states should not incentivize such actions.

Investigative activities should not be based on a person’s: (a) race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or other protected characteristic, unless these characteristics are part of a sufficiently specific suspect description; or (b) expressed or perceived belief, absent a plausible basis to conclude that the person is advocating conduct that poses a threat…

(a) The term “vulnerable populations” refers to individuals or groups who, by virtue of their age, identity, status, disability, or circumstance, may be particularly susceptible to criminal victimization and may face special challenges in their interactions with the police. (b) Officers should treat all members of the public, including those who are in vulnerable populations,…

(a) Officers should treat all victims or potential victims of crime with respect, empathy, and compassion. (b) Officers should conduct interviews with victims using trauma-informed techniques, and they should implement a streamlined reporting process in order to minimize re-traumatization. (c) Officers should accurately record and appropriately classify all reported crimes. Officers should treat all crime…