National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement

The National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) calls for an independent investigation of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s use deadly force in Minnesota that resulted in the tragic death of Renee Good.

Any use of deadly force by law enforcement demands the highest level of independent scrutiny. Transparency, accountability, and public trust require that investigations into such incidents be conducted by entities that are fully independent from the agency involved. NACOLE is therefore deeply disappointed by the reversal of U.S. Attorney’s Office’s original decision to have the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s (BCA) Force Investigations Unit, created by the Minnesota legislature to provide independent investigations of use of force incidents involving law enforcement, conduct a joint investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). The removal of an independent investigative body undermines public confidence and raises serious concerns about the integrity and credibility of the process.

This incident underscores a longstanding and urgent gap in our public safety systems: the lack of consistent, independent civilian oversight of federal law enforcement agencies. While many states and municipalities have taken important steps to establish oversight of local law enforcement, federal agencies, including ICE, remain largely insulated from meaningful, independent review. In a democratic society, law enforcement officers should be accountable to the public. NACOLE calls for expanded, permanent, and truly independent civilian oversight at the federal level, including oversight of the use of force, misconduct investigations, and systemic practices.

Independent civilian oversight is not anti-law enforcement. On the contrary, it strengthens law enforcement by promoting constitutional policing, improving practices, identifying systemic failures, and reinforcing legitimacy in the eyes of the communities they are sworn to serve. Oversight bodies provide a critical mechanism for transparency, accountability, and improved practices that benefits both the public and law enforcement professionals.

We stand with community members across the country who continue the difficult and necessary work of ensuring that, at a minimum, law enforcement conducts itself in a constitutional manner. We also call for an end to the current pattern of federal intervention and actions in our cities that are occurring without adequate transparency, accountability, or community input.
The death of Renee Good demands more than expressions of concern; it demands structural change. NACOLE urges policymakers, federal officials, and the public to recognize that independent civilian oversight must be a permanent and integral part of all public safety systems. Only through meaningful oversight can we ensure accountability, protect civil rights, and honor the fundamental principles of justice upon which our system depends.

✨ Please donate: https://nacole.app.neoncrm.com/campaigns/5
⚖️ As we approach the end of the year, communities across the country continue to ask a fundamental question: How do we ensure law enforcement is accountable, transparent, and worthy of public trust? With your donation this season, NACOLE can continue its work in providing the answer to this question, and offer support for independent civilian oversight in communities that need it most.
👉 Donate to support civilian oversight in your community today!
https://nacole.app.neoncrm.com/campaigns/5

✨✨From our families to yours: have a safe, restful and relaxing holiday season!✨✨

✨ For over 30 years, we have led the way in promoting independent civilian oversight in America, serving as a professional association and national network for those working to ensure accountability, transparency, and justice within law enforcement agencies, jails, and prisons.
👉 With your support we can:
- Expand the reach of independent, effective, and sustainable oversight.
- Increase our library of resources and support for those working on the frontlines of civilian oversight.
- Strengthen and grow the caliber of topics, content, and speakers we provide at trainings, conferences and webinars. We’ve already set a high bar - help us set it higher!
💸 Donate Today: https://bit.ly/support_nacole

✨✨From our families to yours: have a safe, restful and relaxing holiday!✨✨

⚖️ Join us for the final NACOLE webinar of 2025, where a panel of experts will provide an overview of the California Office of the Inspector General’s Medical Inspection Unit (MIU), which oversees the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), as well as California Correction Health Care Services (CCHCS), and the medical care they provide to California’s incarcerated population.

🗣️ SPEAKERS
Heather L. M. Pool, J.D.
Chief Assistant Inspector General, OIG Medical Inspections Unit
Dr. Luu Nguyễn, MD, FACP
Chief Physician and Surgeon, OIG Medical Inspections Unit

💸 COST
$25 for NACOLE members | $35 for non-members

👉 LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Webinars Non-profit professional association of Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement agencies, practitioners, and supporters