Statement of Principles

First and foremost, our role as law enforcement leaders is to protect public safety. We have dedicated our careers to fighting crime and have seen firsthand the toll that lawbreaking takes on communities. We believe it is in the interest of the entire country to be vigilant about pushing back on criminal activity.

Common sense might suggest that more punishment keeps down crime. But as law enforcement leaders, we know that over-relying on incarceration does not always keep our communities safe. We know from experience that it is indeed possible to reduce crime and reduce arrests, prosecutions, and incarceration. We have a responsibility to work toward these goals simultaneously.

To advance this cause we created the group Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime & Incarceration (“Law Enforcement Leaders”). We are joining together to urge a nationwide reduction in incarceration while continuing to keep our communities safe. We seek to institute practices in our own offices and support changes to our laws that achieve this goal. This Statement of Principles provides our beliefs and the policies we support.

Click here to view our Statement of Principles.