ACLU-TN’s Police Accountability Campaign

The goal of ACLU-TN’s Police Accountability Campaign is foster public safety, prevent abuse in encounters between law enforcement and civilians, and improve community-police relations.

Our statewide campaign, which is part of ACLU-TN’s broader Campaign for Smart Justice, will focus on efforts to:

end racial profiling;
implement implicit bias and de-escalation training for law enforcement;
reduce the use of excessive force;
ensure that when body cameras are used, policies are in place that protect privacy and transparency;
reform civil asset forfeiture; and
establish independent civilian review boards with disciplinary authority.

In our work with law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve, we seek to have greater collaboration with and inclusion of community stakeholders; to improve training, policies, and practices that increase community trust; and to encourage stronger mechanisms for transparency and accountability.

Ultimately, our efforts are intended to foster public safety by addressing tensions between police and the communities they serve.

Our vision is a state where the culture of law enforcement agencies is transformed to better reflect the communities they serve; where police and sheriff departments are transparent and accountable to the people they are charged with protecting; and where no individual feels suspicious of or unsafe around the police — regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, gender, mental health, ability, or socioeconomic status.