Exhibits their usual thoroughness in compiling resources. State by state, Internet-accessible sources of the constitutions, statutes, judicial opinions, and regulations for the fifty states, plus D.C., and the U.S. territories and affiliated jurisdictions.

Straightforward links to state pages.

Topical listing of statutes by state, very useful for finding law for a particular jurisdiction or comparing two or more states.

Links to official state government pages and other resources. Links to courts, agencies and other resources are listed.

Legislative interest in policing and police accountability is currently at an unprecedented high. Deaths and other confrontations involving law enforcement continue to drive national conversations about policy and promote review of current state and local laws. From May 25, 2020 through the end of 2020, 36 states and Washington D.C. introduced more than 700 bills addressing policy accountability, nearly 100 of which were enacted.

NCSL, with support from Arnold Ventures, has produced a comprehensive, first-of-its kind database of law enforcement statutes covering topics detailed below.

State Legislatures consider and enact laws that address many aspects of law enforcement policy. State law can set the baseline for the standard of practice in states, creating a foundation for state regulatory agencies and local jurisdictions to expand upon. The database paints a picture of what this baseline looks like in the states, covering a number of policy areas that play a key role in law enforcement effectiveness and accountability.