In many cases, civilian oversight is established amid community calls for greater accountability following a high-profile incident involving local law enforcement. As an institution representing the interests of the local community, conducting outreach to the community and local stakeholders is essential to effective civilian oversight. Outreach enables an oversight agency to build awareness of its existence, share reports and findings with the public, build relationships with stakeholders, recruit volunteers, solicit community input and involvement, facilitate learning and greater understanding, broker improved relationships, build coalitions, and develop a greater capacity for problem-solving. These functions are crucial to an agency’s transparency, credibility, responsiveness, accountability, and accessibility, and overall ability to successfully maintain public support and legitimacy.