Invitation to NC Police Departments: Apply Now for The Citation Project

On July 15th, the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police (NCACP) invited its members to apply to serve as pilot sites for a new project supporting evidence-based policing practices. Executed by the UNC School of Government’s Criminal Justice Innovation Lab (CJIL) and the NCACP, The Citation Project seeks to improve policing practices through implementation and rigorous evaluation of a model citation in lieu of arrest policy. The project has three components: (1) developing a model citation in lieu of arrest policy; (2) selecting North Carolina police departments to serve as pilot sites and supporting their implementation of the model policy; and (3) conducting an empirical evaluation to assess impact on core criminal justice metrics. Citation in Lieu of Arrest Promises Benefits to Law Enforcement & Communities Charged with identifying best practices and offering recommendations on how policing practices can promote effective crime reduction while building public trust, the Task Force on 21st Century Policing recommended that law enforcement agencies develop and adopt policies and strategies reinforcing the importance of community engagement in managing public safety. These include “least harm” resolutions such as use of citation in lieu of arrest. Increased use of citations offers other potential benefits, including increased law enforcement efficiency. Additionally, increased use of citations may help reduce unnecessary pretrial detentions of low-risk defendants and associated costs, unfairness, and negative public safety outcomes. An arrest triggers an initial appearance and imposition of conditions of pretrial release. Because secured bonds are the most common condition imposed in North Carolina, [...]