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The U.S. Department of Justice

Standards for Certification on Safe Policing for Safe Communities

Through President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order No. 13929, the U.S. Attorney 

General, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, will allocate Department of 

Justice discretionary grant funding only to state, local, and university or college law 

enforcement agencies that have obtained (or are in the process of seeking) credentials 

certifying that they meet certain mandatory and discretionary standards for safe policing, to 

be set by the U.S. Attorney General.

Using safe policing principles, law enforcement will continue striving to improve policies and 

procedures — ensuring transparent, safe, and accountable delivery of services to our 

communities. This will enhance citizen confidence in law enforcement, and facilitate the 

identification and correction of internal issues before they result in injury to the public or to 

law enforcement officers.

Accordingly, set forth below are the U.S. Department of Justice’s standards on safe policing 

for securing credentials certifying compliance with Executive Order No. 13929 and eligibility

for discretionary grants. The U.S. Attorney General will regularly review this document and 

revise it as appropriate.

I. Definitions

APPLYING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY or APPLYING AGENCY: A state, 

local, or university or college law enforcement agency seeking certification from an 

independent credentialing body pursuant to Section 2 of Executive Order No. 13929 and Part

II of this document. An applying law enforcement agency shall also include any state, local, 

or university or college law enforcement agency whose head of agency affirms that: (a) the 

requirements of Section 2 of Executive Order No. 13929 and Part II of this document are met;

and (b) his agency has affirmatively sought certification from an independent credentialing 

body.

CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY: A state, local, or university or college

law enforcement agency which an independent credentialing body has certified meets the 

criteria set forth in Part II of this document.

CHOKE HOLD: A physical maneuver or technique that restricts an individual’s ability to 

breathe for the purpose of incapacitation.

DEADLY FORCE: Any use of force that creates a substantial risk of causing death or serious 

bodily injury, consistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

INDEPENDENT CREDENTIALING BODY: A regionally or nationally recognized nonprofit, for-profit, government entity, or other law enforcement accreditation entity that the 

U.S. Attorney General, in his sole discretion, determines to be: (i) independent; (ii) reputable; 
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(iii) in the business of establishing law enforcement standards; and (iv) capable of certifying 

compliance with Section 2 of Executive Order No. 13929 and Part II of this document. 

Independent credentialing bodies include, inter alia, any state law enforcement accrediting 

body and peace officer standards and training (POST) commission.

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LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: A state, local, or university or college employee or 

volunteer who is licensed under applicable state law or certified by an applicable POST 

commission. 

NO-KNOCK WARRANT: A warrant where a judge or magistrate, upon cause shown in 

the warrant application, specifically authorizes that the warrant may be executed in a “no 

knock-and-announce” fashion.

OBJECTIVELY REASONABLE: The determination that the decision to use force, and the 

level of force used, is what a reasonable and prudent officer would use under the same or 

similar situations based upon the officer’s evaluation of the situation, experience, training,

and the totality of the circumstances known to or believed to exist by the officer at the time

the force is used and is consistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

POLICY or POLICIES: A deliberate system of principles intended to guide agency decisionmaking.

PROCEDURES: The manner of implementing policies.

SERIOUS BODILY INJURY: Injury that involves a substantial risk of death, protracted and 

obvious disfigurement, or extended loss or impairment of the function of a body part or organ.

TRAINING PROTOCOLS: The method and manner by which law enforcement personnel 

are trained on preferred practices, legal, and constitutional requirements.

WARNING SHOT: The intentional discharge of a firearm for the purpose of warning or 

seeking compliance from an individual, but not intended to cause physical injury. 

II. Safe Policing Principles that Independent Credentialing Bodies Must Consider 

When Assessing Certification of Applying Law Enforcement Agencies

Pursuant to Section 2 of Executive Order No. 13929, an independent credentialing body shall

certify an applying law enforcement agency if the independent credentialing body determines 

 1 A list of independent credentialing bodies currently approved by the U.S. Attorney General 

is contained in Attachment A. Any other entity seeking to be later designated as an 

independent credentialing body should petition the U.S. Department of Justice by submitting 

an application to Director of Community Oriented Policing Services (“COPS”). Applying 

agencies denied certification by an independent credentialing body may make an appeal to 

the Deputy Attorney General for review and relief.
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— or, within the past 36 months, has already determined — that the following two conditions 

have been met:

A. Adherence to Applicable Laws

The applying agency maintains use of force policies that adhere to all applicable 

federal, state, and local laws.

B. Prohibition of Choke Holds

The applying agency maintains use of force policies that prohibit the use of choke

holds, except in situations where the use of deadly force is allowed by law.

After the independent credentialing body confirms that the requirements in Part II of this 

document are met, the independent credentialing body must include the applying law 

enforcement agency within its database of certified law enforcement agencies. Beginning in 

2021, on or before January 31 of each year, independent credentialing bodies must provide 

the names of each certified law enforcement agency to the Director of the COPS Office or his 

delegate. Each certified law enforcement agency is qualified to receive U.S Department of 

Justice discretionary grants for up to (i) 36 months from the date of its most recent certification 

by an independent credentialing body, or (ii) the lifecycle of any discretionary grant awarded, 

whichever option is longer.

III. Safe Policing Principles that Independent Credentialing Bodies Should

Consider When Assessing Certification of Applying Law Enforcement 

Agencies

Pursuant to Section 2 of Executive Order No. 13929, the following safe policing principles 

will aid in law enforcement’s continued self-assessment of its own policies and training on use 

of force and de-escalation techniques, performance management tools, and community 

engagement. Accordingly, in assessing whether to certify an applying law enforcement 

agency, an independent credentialing body should — but is not required to — consider 

whether the applying agency incorporates the following safe policing principles within its 

policies and procedures:

A. Use of Force and De-escalation Techniques

i. Termination of Use of Force

The applying agency should maintain use of force policies and procedures that 

address when force against individuals who fail to comply with lawful 

commands should terminate, including the following requirement: when it is 

objectively reasonable that a subject is fully in law enforcement’s control, then 

the force must terminate.

ii. Duty to Intervene

The applying agency should maintain policies and procedures that include the 

duty and obligation to intervene to prevent or stop the known and apparent use 
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of excessive force by another officer when it is objectively reasonable to do so.

An agency’s duty to intervene policy may be memorialized separately from the 

agency’s use of force policies.

iii. Training Protocols on Use of Force and De-Escalation

The applying agency should maintain training protocols that adhere to, or 

exceed, any applicable state laws to become, and remain in good standing as, 

law enforcement officers. The applying agency’s training protocols should 

include substantive instruction on the agency’s use of force policies and 

procedures, de-escalation techniques, and related legal updates. 

iv. Appropriate Medical Care

The applying agency should maintain policies and procedures that address 

when it is appropriate for an officer to provide medical care consistent with his 

training to any individual. Medical care may include providing basic first aid, 

requesting emergency medical services, and/or arranging for transportation to 

a medical facility. 

v. Warn Before Shooting

The applying agency should maintain use of force policies and procedures that 

encourage personnel — circumstances permitting and when reasonably 

practical — to identify themselves as law enforcement officers and to give 

verbal warning of their intent to use deadly force.

vi. Shooting at or from a Moving Vehicle

The applying agency should maintain use of force policies and procedures

regarding shooting at or from a moving vehicle.

vii. Warning Shots

The applying agency should maintain policies and procedures regarding 

warning shots.

viii. No-Knock Warrant

The applying agency should maintain policies and procedures regarding the use 

and execution of no-knock warrants.

B. Performance Management Tools

i. Early Intervention Systems

The applying agency should strive to routinely conduct internal audits of their 

policies, procedures, and training protocols, as well as officer safety and 

wellness programs or initiatives. Where resources permit, the applying agency

should maintain human resource policies and procedures that aid in the 

development of human capital, protect due process for officers, and encourage 

the identification and assistance of law enforcement personnel who are 
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becoming, or likely to become, at risk to violate use of force or other agency 

policies or procedures. 

ii. Hiring of Personnel

The applying agency should maintain policies, procedures, and training 

protocols to hire and promote only those employees, or others (such as 

independent contractors), who are the best available candidates for a position 

according to the accepted standards of objectivity and merit.

C. Community Engagement

The applying agency should implement community engagement plans that address the 

particular needs of the community being served. The implementation plans may be 

memorialized separately from the agency’s use of force policies.

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