Law enforcement
480 Articles

It’s Time to Stop the Use of Tear Gas Against Civilians
It was a clear day on June 1 in Washington, DC when thousands of people protesting racial injustice and police brutality, in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, congregated…
![LEFT - The D.C. National Guard in camo uniforms, helmets, googles, and face masks stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as demonstrators [not seen in the photo] participate in a peaceful protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on June 2, 2020 in Washington, DC. RIGHT - British troops patrol the streets of Belfast June 21, 2001 following fierce fighting the previous night in Ardoyne, a mostly Catholic area in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. They appear to be hiding behind a van.](https://i0.wp.com/www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/combo-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C438&ssl=1)
Northern Ireland’s Lessons for American Policing
Not that long ago, Americans would regularly go to Northern Ireland to offer advice on reforming the region’s notoriously repressive policing. Happily for Northern Ireland, and…

Why the Calls to Deploy Military Force in the US Protests Weren’t Surprising
Trump's and Cotton's rhetoric might be extreme, but the concepts they espouse are simply a culmination of a trend unfolding over at least 50 years.

Black Lives Matter Might Just Rescue American Democracy
The movement forces Americans to recognize and confront the deep and longstanding connection between racist and authoritarian violence.

The UN Should Establish a Commission of Inquiry on Systemic Racism and Law Enforcement in the United States
A strong call from the U.N. Special Expert on Contemporary Forms of Racism, professor E. Tendayi Achiume.

Statement of Homeland and National Security Leaders
Former Republican and Democratic cabinet members and other senior officials speak out about protests, use of the military, racial justice, and policing.

The Strength of America’s Apolitical Military
A statement by former U.S. ambassadors, Generals and Admirals, senior officials on the response to nationwide protests for racial justice.

National Security at the United Nations This Week (June 5-12)
(Editor’s Note: This is the latest in Just Security’s weekly series keeping readers up to date on developments at the United Nations at the intersection of national security,…

The Supreme Court’s Insidious Development of Qualified Immunity
The American policing and criminal justice system is a complex machine, soldered together from a variety of tools and tactics of oppression. By purpose, design, and effect, the…

The Untold Power of Bill Barr to Direct US Military Forces in Case of “Civil Unrest”
Whether deployed against protests for racial justice or deployed to interfere with free and fair elections in November, the US military operations would be led by Bill Barr, not…

Four Remarkable Arguments in DOJ’s Latest Brief in the Michael Flynn Case [UPDATED with links to reply/response briefs]
A couple of weeks ago, I published a very long, comprehensive post in which I tried to explain all the ins and outs of the Michael Flynn case, from 2016 to the present day. Since…

New Complicity Charges Filed in the Killing of George Floyd
UPDATED As millions of people take to the streets demanding racial justice, accountability for police violence, and the demilitarization of the police, the case against the ex-police…