Urgent Priorities to Further Our Reform Efforts
The field of oversight of law enforcement has grown significantly in the last few years. With it, the needs of practitioners and communities looking to establish civilian oversight have also grown; the current national outcry for police reform has accelerated that growth rapidly. NACOLE is working hard to meet the demand but money is often a limiting factor. With your help, we could increase our capacity for outreach, advocacy, and education. We want to strengthen and expand oversight throughout the country, and give those tasked with doing this challenging and essential work the support and professional development they need to be strong, effective community-change agents. Your donation will directly support NACOLE’s top 3 priorities:
1. Advocacy for civilian oversight
2. Training of oversight professionals
3. Defining and defending oversight with state-of-the-field research and data
RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Join us for our December Webinar
Correctional Medical Oversight in California: Critical Components and Key Takeaways
The webinar will provide an overview of the California Office of the Inspector General’s Medical Inspection Unit (MIU), which oversees the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), as well as California Correction Health Care Services (CCHCS), and the medical care they provide to California’s incarcerated population. The presentation will clarify MUI's approach to this oversight, its process, and reporting, including key takeaways about the reasons for each. The presentation will also discuss MUI's trend tracking and analysis, and the critical value of this information and how it has shaped the future of MUI's oversight.
LEARN MORE & REGISTER
Congratulations to our newly-elected 2026 board members
Thanks to all of the candidates who ran for a seat on the NACOLE Board of Directors. NACOLE appreciates your commitment to the association, and your contributions to civilian oversight. Congratulations to the following individuals who were elected:
- Yojaira Alvarez, New York, NY (Member-at-Large)
- Bart Logue, Spokane, WA (Member-at-Large)
- Jayson Wechter, San Francisco, CA (Member-at-Large)
- Florence Finkle, New York, NY (President Elect)
- George Perezvelez, Berkely, CA (Vice President)
Why civilian oversight of police needs advocacy as much as objectivity
By: Anthony Finnell, NACOLE Board President
Guest Opinion | Akron Beacon Journal | October 2, 2025
Recently, I’ve been described as operating more like an advocate than as an impartial and objective reviewer. The implication was that I had stepped outside the boundaries of civilian oversight. But I reject the idea that I must choose between advocacy and impartiality. In fact, I believe effective oversight requires all three: impartiality, objectivity and advocacy. Read more...
Response to Executive Order Undermining Police Accountability and Transparency
President Trump's recent Executive Order titled “Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens,” marks a significant and troubling shift away from transparency, accountability, and constitutional policing—principles that are central to NACOLE's mission and the broader civilian oversight movement. Read more...
