In response to events in Ferguson (MO), New York City (NY), and Cleveland (OH), the IACP held a National Policy Summit on Community-Police Relations in October 2014 to open dialogue regarding ways to build and sustain trusting communitypolice relationships. The summit brought together police chiefs from around the nation, national leaders of community- and faith‐based organizations, researchers, and representatives from nationally renowned and distinguished professional organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Leadership Council on Civil Rights, the Police Foundation, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) to discuss and debate this challenge.

This document is the resulting summit report. It is a call to action for every police executive and every police agency to take stock and recommit to the principles of justice and freedom as set forth in the Constitution and its amendments. Each citizen’s safety and civil rights are at the core of the oath that police officers take at the outset of their careers.

The report is designed to serve as a roadmap for law enforcement, communities, and stakeholders to build meaningful, sustainable, trusting, and effective working relationships. Summit participants outlined three conceptual elements of building community-police relationships. The report defines those elements—communication, partnerships, and trust—and provides recommendations for improvement in each. In addition, the report outlines a series of tangible strategies and steps for law enforcement executives to begin to build trust in their communities.