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Seven police cars are lined up with orange traffic cones in front of the cars.

Policing and Law Enforcement

Most Americans interact with the criminal justice system in encounters with officers from thousands of policing agencies across the country. Our reporting and analysis examines policing and its often lasting impact.

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Analysis
What History Tells Us to Expect From Trump’s Escalation in Los Angeles Protests
Since the 1960s, studies have shown that heavy-handed policing and militarized responses tend to make protests more volatile — not less.
A large group of protesters stand with signs in the lower half of the photo, facing green military-grade vehicles.
A woman with light-toned skin crouches down to place flowers at a memorial. Hundreds of flower bouquets, cards and signs are visible on the ground, and an orange and blue mural showing George Floyd with a backdrop of a sunflower is on the wall.
Analysis May 25
George Floyd, 5 Years Later
On this anniversary of Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, here are six pieces about why it happened — and what followed.
By
A photograph shows two police officers standing next to a gate on a street. One officer is wearing a helmet and holds a wooden baton.
Closing Argument May 24
As Trump Abandons Police Reforms, These Local Officials Vow to Press On
The Department of Justice said it’s pulling back from policing changes. Will cities and states have the tools to enforce them?
By and
A photograph shows a crowd of police officers, wearing riot gear and holding batons, standing in formation in the middle of a street.
Closing Argument May 17
Five Years After George Floyd’s Murder, Police Reforms Are Being Rolled Back
As reforms stall in some states, the U.S. Supreme Court just made it easier for police to be sued — and perhaps easier for police to defend themselves.
By
A police officer’s head and shoulders are silhouetted against a blue and purple background.
Analysis April 29
Trump’s New Order on Policing Seems Sweeping. But What Will It Really Change?
The president’s directive may please some law enforcement officials, but some experts say certain provisions are redundant and ignore how police agencies really work.
By
A collage with ripped paper-style cutouts of silhouettes of police officers in orange and green over a black-and-white background photo of two police officers standing next to each other.
News April 28
Trump’s Anti-DEI Push Raises Concerns Among Black Officers in Local Police Departments
DEI professionals and officers of color fear that a Trump-led backlash will erase the diversity gains made after the George Floyd protests.
By
A photo shows a line of police officers standing on a corner while wearing riot gear and holding batons.
News March 12
Trump Is Backing Away From Police Reform. Here’s What That Means for 12 Places.
The administration appears set to end federal oversight of police, including agencies that have committed systemic civil rights violations.
By , , , , and
Sheriff Harold Pretel, a man with medium-toned skin, wearing a sheriff's uniform, sits in front of a blue background with a sheriff's star printed on it.
Cleveland March 4
Sheriff: Bodycam Footage From Cuyahoga County Deputies Will Now Come Out Within 7 Days
Policy shift follows a Marshall Project - Cleveland and News 5 Cleveland investigation into the October shooting of a teen by a deputy.
By , The Marshall Project, and Tara Morgan, News 5 Cleveland
Malik Shabazz, a Black man in a gray suit, speaks to reporters, as Michael Corey Jenkins, a Black man in a gray suit, stands next to him. A group of other people stand near them, in front of microphones held up by reporters.
Closing Argument March 1
Law And Disorder: Police Oversight and Training Confront A Changing landscape
The future of police accountability remains uncertain as misconduct persists and focus shifts from reforms.
By
Three U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, wearing black guard vests, green long sleeve shirts and black ski masks, stand in front of a green door.
Closing Argument February 8
How Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Blurs the Lines Between Reality, Rumor and Theater
ICE arrests, including “collateral arrests,” are up — and often in front of cameras. But experts say the data is incomplete — and hoaxes abound.
By
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