Technology, Policing, and Earning the Public Trust

The Technology, Law & Security Program (TLS), in partnership with the Criminal Justice Practice & Policy Institute (CJPPI) at the American University Washington College of Law (WCL), American Constitution Society (ACS) WCL Chapter, the Journal of National Security Law and Policy (JNSLP) at Georgetown University, and Future Tense, is pleased to announce the capstone event to its joint Power, Policing and Tech project.

The tragic killing of George Floyd and the subsequent wave of mass protests once again brought to the fore deep-seated concerns about policing, unnecessary and disproportionate uses of force, and unequal justice. Calls for police reform implicate important questions about the role technology can and should play in achieving better policing outcomes. Already, bodycams and cell phone videos have provided an unprecedented window into police interactions with the public, at times exposing acts of police violence. While technology will not, in and of itself, resolve the myriad, complex underlying problems, it can, and likely will be called on to play a role.

This panel will address whether, and if so how technology can help enhance accountability, ensure equal protection of the law, and support the building of law enforcement and prosecutorial practices that earn public trust. How, can, and should technology be employed to empower citizens, expose injustices, support fair investigations and accountability, and restructure policing (including alternatives to traditional police forces) and the broader criminal justice system in constructive ways?

The Symposium will highlight the authors who responded to the project’s call for papers, and will feature a panel of leading experts who will address these profoundly important questions.

Moderator: 

Jack Goldsmith, Henry L. Shattuck Professor of Law, Harvard University.

Panelists:

Tracey Meares, Yale Law School

Arthur Rizer, R Street Institute

Bennett Capers, Fordham Law

Dr. Rashall Brackney, Chief of Police, Charlottesville, Virginia

To attend this event, please click here to register.