Frequently Asked Questions

What does NACOLE Do?

The National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) is a non-profit organization that brings together individuals and agencies working to establish or improve oversight of police officers in the United States. NACOLE welcomes people and organizations committed to fair and professional law enforcement that is responsive to community needs.

NACOLE, established in 1995, is incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland. The organization has an elected board of directors, which is composed of individuals in the field of citizen oversight of the police. The board manages the organization pursuant to a set of by-laws

NACOLE is dedicated to promoting greater police accountability through the establishment or improvement of citizen oversight agencies by

  • organizing an annual training conference to increase the knowledge and skills of staff members and volunteers who work in oversight.
  • providing technical assistance and advice to jurisdictions that are considering the creation or revitalization of oversight bodies.
  • identifying best practices as they emerge from the experiences of members.
  • encouraging networking, communication and information-sharing to counter the isolation inherent in the profession.
  • furnishing information to government officials and community representatives that will support their advocacy of oversight in their states, counties, cities and towns.

Why belong to NACOLE?

  • NACOLE assists, educates and connects it members in a variety of ways.
  • NACOLE assists by providing technical assistance and advice to jurisdictions and others that are considering the creation or revitalization of citizen oversight bodies in their communities.
  • NACOLE educates members by organizing an annual training conference that highlights best practices in the rapidly evolving world of citizen oversight through a program featuring guest speakers, panel discussions and workshops.
  • NACOLE connects members to one another through informal and formal networks of people who freely share their expertise and experiences in citizen oversight.

Who should attend NACOLE's annual training conference?

  • Oversight agencies, their members and staffs.
  • Elected officials and other representatives of local governments.
  • Members of civic, civil rights and other advocacy groups that seek to promote greater police accountability.
  • Law enforcement agencies and their staffs that seek to learn more about citizen oversight and that also want to broaden their knowledge of police accountability issues.
  • Academics, researchers, students who are conducting or planning to conduct research in this area.
  • Journalists and others who would like to meet oversight practitioners and learn about citizen oversight developments in the U.S. and abroad.

What kinds of technical assistance, advice and training does NACOLE provide jurisdictions?

  • NACOLE is a clearinghouse of information for communities that want to start up new oversight agencies or improve already existing ones. NACOLE's website contains many useful resources and materials that are available to everyone.
  • NACOLE provides, for a reasonable fee, consulting services to states, counties, cities and towns to assist in the design or refinement of oversight mechanisms.
  • NACOLE provides training to staff members and volunteers of oversight agencies.

If you are interested in any of these services, please contact NACOLE.

What is the Police Oversight E-mail Group?

This is NACOLE's official discussion group. It provides news, employment announcements and information of general interest about police accountability issues and citizen oversight developments to anyone who signs up for the service, which is free. Click here for more information.

What is The NACOLE Review?

This is NACOLE's newsletter that is published twice a year. The NACOLE Review publishes articles and features on the work of citizen oversight agencies and organizations in the U.S. and abroad, as well as information about recent developments in the field of police accountability. Click here for the current edition and past issues of the newsletter. NACOLE review

Who joins NACOLE?

  • Oversight agencies, their members and staffs.
  • Volunteers in oversight agencies.
  • Citizens who want to start up or improve oversight in their communities.
  • Members of civil rights or other advocacy groups interested in police accountability.
  • Academics, researchers and students.
  • Individuals who support the mission of NACOLE.

How do I join?

If you support the goals of NACOLE and would like to become a member, please download the NACOLE membership application here: NACOLE application.