Exploring the complex and controversial topic of civilian oversight of police, this book analyzes the issues and debates entailed by civilian oversight by using worldwide perspectives, in-depth case studies, and a wealth of survey data. Integrating and summarizing decades of research from many locations around the globe, Civilian Oversight of Police: Advancing Accountability in Law Enforcement uses a very clear and consistent pattern of findings to address the overall management of police conduct.


The book examines the history and performance of oversight agencies in multiple jurisdictions around the world. The evidence used includes:

• Citizen, complainant, and police views on oversight



• Stakeholder experiences with different types of responses to complaints



• Data about police conduct

Emphasizing the concept of shared responsibility for effective police integrity management, the book discusses what does and does not work in maximizing police management and performance. It presents a best practices model for managing police conduct and describes the impact of oversight agencies on police policy, including innovative means by which agencies can work with police departments to improve police conduct.


Civilian Oversight of Police provides a critical resource on police conduct for professionals as well as academics. It makes practical recommendations for achieving a "win-win" balance in addressing the needs and interests of all parties involved with the police complaints and accountability process. It also marks a starting point to stimulate further research as well as increased collaboration between researchers and practitioners to enhance the stock of knowledge for effective police integrity management and democratic accountability.