American Civil Liberties Union

Abuse by police continues to be a major civil liberties problem in the U.S., particularly for the poor and for people of color.  Everyone needs and deserves effective and humane law enforcement in communities and courtrooms.


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Police Practices : General : Press Releases view all

Settlement Reached in Suit of UW Art Professor Handcuffed and Detained for Taking Photos (06/08/2009)
A University of Washington professor who was frisked, handcuffed, and detained for taking photographs of power lines as part of an art project has received a payment of $8,000 in a settlement of her lawsuit against the City of Snohomish. The ACLU of Washington represented Shirley Scheier in seeking redress for her wrongful detention by Snohomish police.

ACLU Sues North Smithfield Police for Refusing to Release Arrest Report (12/04/2008)
In the latest example of a police department choosing to ignore its clear legal responsibilities to release public documents, the Rhode Island ACLU has today filed an open records lawsuit against the North Smithfield Police for refusing to turn over an arrest report to a community activist.

ACLU Asks Virginia Police Chiefs to Train Personnel on the Rights of Persons Who Register Voters (09/24/2008)
Richmond, VA – The ACLU of Virginia is mailing letters today to every police chief in Virginia - 185 in all - asking each to immediately initiate programs to educate local law enforcement personnel on the right of individuals to engage in door-to-door voter registration drives.

ACLU sues Denver on behalf of five innocent victims of "mistaken identity" arrests (08/11/2008)
DENVER - On behalf of five clients, the ACLU of Colorado filed suit today against the City and County of Denver and various Denver law enforcement officers, charging that in each case, "recklessly sloppy police work" resulted in the innocent plaintiff's arrest and imprisonment—as long as 26 days in one case—for crimes with which they had no connection whatsoever.

ACLU Of Utah Deeply Troubled By Attorney General's Website Featuring Arrest Video (08/08/2008)
The Office of Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff recently launched a website featuring arrest videos of alleged Internet predators. Shurtleff unveiled the site, which he heralded as a means to deter sex offenses, at a public press conference on August 27, 2008.

Police Practices : General : Publications

Criminalizing the Classroom: The Over-Policing of New York City Schools (03/18/2007)
This report documents the excesses of the New York City school policing program and offers recommendations for reform.

Fighting Police Abuse: A Community Action Manual (12/01/1997)

Police Practices : General : Legal Documents view all

2006 letter to Rhode Island police chiefs (08/21/2006)
2006 letter to Rhode Island police chiefs

2004 letter to Rhode Island police chiefs (08/21/2006)
2004 letter to Rhode Island police chiefs

ACLU Complaint in The Center v. Linda Lingle (09/08/2004)

Opinion in Spencer v. Bay City (11/25/2003)

ACLU Amicus Brief in Crawford v. Washington (08/29/2003)

Police Practices : General : Legislative Documents view all

ACLU Letter to the House Judiciary Committee Urging Support and Sponsorship of H.R. 435, the Equal Access to Justice Reform Act (05/22/2006)

ACLU of Louisiana Request for DOJ investigation of the "Gretna Bridge Incident" (02/17/2006)

Attorney General John Ashcroft's Assault on Civil Liberties (Updated September 2003) (10/30/2002)

Testimony of Legislative Counsel Tim Edgar on S. 1749, The Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act Before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration (04/12/2002)

Letter to Senators Schumer and Clinton on the "Federal-Local Information Sharing Act of 2001" (12/10/2001)

Police Practices : General : Resources view all

Know Your Rights: What to Do If You're Stopped by the Police (07/30/2004)
To fight police abuse effectively you need to know your rights. There are some things you should do, some things you must do and some things you cannot do. If you are in the middle of a police encounter, you need a handy and quick reference to remind you what your rights and obligations are.

New! Profiles in Injustice: National Book Tour and Discussion Panel (03/04/2002)
The ACLU's Campaign Against Racial Profiling, along with New Press, are sponsoring a book tour featuring Profiles in Injustice: Why Racial Profiling Cannot Work, by David Harris, Prof. of Law at the University of Toledo and author of the ACLU's 1999 "Driving While Black" report.

12-04-01 Rhode Island Judge Orders Providence Police to Comply with State Racial Profiling Law (03/04/2002)
PROVIDENCE, R.I.--In response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, a state court today issued a detailed order designed to ensure that the Providence Police Department begins complying with a law that requires them to collect data on the traffic stops they conduct in order to determine if racial profiling may be occurring.

11/27/95 Eric Sterling, President National Drug Strategy Network (03/04/2002)
PhilCLU: Good evening everyone. I'm Phil Gutis, the genial host of the ACLU online series, and the ACLU's media relations director. We return tonight to one of our favorite topics -- drug policy -- and our guest is Eric Sterling, the President of the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation. Let me take a few moments to more fully introduce Eric and then we'll get to your questions.

ACLU of Washington Offers Free Attorneys to People Questioned in Federal "Dragnet" Investigation (03/04/2002)
SEATTLE--The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington announced today that it is offering attorneys to accompany any individuals in the state who are questioned by officials as part of a U.S. Department of Justice "dragnet" investigation.

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