Human Rights Policing

Human Rights Policing is an approach to law enforcement that focuses on rights and responsibilities that belong to us as humans, regardless of race, ethnicity, citizenship or socioeconomic status. It is a valuable training for law enforcement agencies of all sizes and demographics, and across roles and responsibilities. Policing through the lens of human rights can support law enforcement agents and the communities they protect and serve.

Human Rights Policing offers law enforcement professionals new and creative ways to enhance their work. The class provides both research-based and experiential perspectives on human rights policing, relying on data collected from years of interviewing and observing police officers, as well police officers’ contributions from their own policing experience. Participants’ ability to apply human rights to their police work has the potential to improve their daily engagement with members of the community and enhance their careers in law enforcement.

Your personal experience in and reflection on your work in law enforcement shape your learning in this course. You will respond not only to course materials in the online environment but to the stories of your classmates. Community engagement activities will provide insight on how those outside of law enforcement understand human rights and community expectations of how human rights should apply to policing. Assignments are designed to broaden perspectives and help you develop ways to apply human rights to your daily work.