An analysis of policing practices and budget priorities in 12 cities
About this project
In 2018, Local Progress launched Reform/Transform: A Policing Policy Toolkit to provide local elected officials, policymakers, and organizers with a resource on how to evaluate policing reforms according to a set of standardized criteria across jurisdictions.
Over the course of 2019, we engaged local elected officials and community leaders in a range of communities to evaluate their localities’ policing practices using the Reform/Transform toolkit.
Those evaluations have produced the first results of the Reform/Transform toolkit in 12 cities: Chicago, Dallas, Durham, Louisville, Madison, Minneapolis, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.
The results evaluate four areas of policing practices that correspond to the Reform/Transform toolkit:
- use of force,
- independent oversight,
- co-optation of local law enforcement for federal immigration enforcement, and
- investments in public safety beyond policing.
We chose these cities in consultation with Local Progress members in those localities and attempted to investigate a range of city types and sizes.
How to explore this analysis
For each of the four policy areas we evaluated—use of force, independent oversight, co-optation of local law enforcement for federal immigration enforcement, and investments in public safety beyond policing—you can view a cross-jurisdiction analysis by clicking on their respective tabs below. The analysis is sortable by city name, population, and how well a given jurisdiction scored on a given criteria. Click on an individual jurisdiction to learn more about our analysis of policing practices, budgets, and our sources for that particular city.
Why Reform/Transform?
“Like every other community in America, our community is over-invested in policing and incarceration and under-invested in housing, jobs, education, health and all the other investments that makes those punitive interventions unnecessary. The safest communities don't have the most cops; they have the most resources. We'll continue to invest our shared resources into good jobs, affordable housing, and second chances for our community.”
— Jillian Johnson, Mayor Pro Tempore, Durham
“Updating use of force policies are essential to improving police community relationships and rebuilding public trust in policing. Policies are imperfect, but it’s the first step in addressing a system that’s failing our communities.”
— Megan Ellyia Green, Alderwoman, St. Louis
About our methodology
Click on the links below to learn more about our methodology for each of the four policy areas we evaluated.
Use of Force | Independent Oversight | Co-optation by Immigration Enforcement | Budget Priorities
An acknowledgement: This project aims to evaluate policy and to give policymakers, organizers, and activists the tools to push stronger policies on police reform. We recognize that lived experience and implementation of policy are crucial in their own right and may well differ from the stated policy on the books.