THIRD EDITION 

Graphic Standards 

and Identity System 

for the COPS Office 

Editor: Erin P.T. Canning 
Contents 

The COPS Office global branding positioning ...................................... 

............................................. 

.................................... 

.......................................... 

.............................................. 

..................................................... 

........................................................................ 

........................................................................ 

......................................................... 

1
 

Referencing the COPS Office in prose 1
 

The COPS Office graphic standards guidelines 2
 

The new COPS Office graphic standards 2
 

Helping you help us .................................................................. 

....................... 

................................................................. 

.............................. 

..................................... 

................................................ 

........................................ 

................................ 

............

.................. 

2
 

Our two logos and when to use them 2
 

Preferred typographic standards 3
 

Type is to read 3
 

Minimum lock-up and size usage of the COPS Office logo 4
 

What is the lock-up? 4
 

Size limitations 4
 

Acceptable use of the standalone COPS Office logo 5
 

When to use the refreshed, standalone logo 5
 

Background color issues and solutions
 

for the standalone COPS Office logo 6
 

Unacceptable use of and changes to the
 

standalone COPS Office logo 9
 

Acceptable use of the DOJ-affiliated logo 10
 

When to use the refreshed, DOJ-affiliated logo 10
 

Background color issues and solutions for the DOJ-affiliated logo 11
 

Unacceptable use of and changes to the DOJ-affiliated logo 14
 
 

The COPS Office global branding positioning 

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is the component of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) 

responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources.
 

We are the COPS Office 

Many other, non-related organizations call themselves COPS, but there is only one COPS Office— 

and this is how we should be identified in all 

communications concerning our agency. 

Our brand thrives on consistency of usage in the 

spoken and written word. It is also important that 

our identity be used in the way we have approved 

so that our messaging on all communications has 

a unified voice. This is why the communications 

and design industries created identity standards. 

Referencing the COPS Office 

in prose 

When referencing our agency in press releases, 

publications, and any other type of written 

medium, please follow these guidelines: 

 When identifying our agency for the first

time, please always include Office of and

do not hyphenate Community Oriented.

 When COPS Office is abbreviated, please

always include Office to differentiate our

agency from other, non-related COPS

organizations and programs, including

when COPS Office is modifying another

noun: e.g., COPS Office website, COPS

Office award, and COPS Office staff.

When developing communications regarding 

our agency or promoting us as partners in 

your cause, please refer to The COPS Office 

Editorial and Graphics Style Manual: Guide 

for Authors to ensure your message is compliant with our approved guidelines—thank you. 

LEARN MORE 

ABOUT THE 

COPS OFFICE 

To obtain a copy of our 

brochure, Community 

Policing Defined (available 

both online and in print), 

please visit the COPS 

Office website, 

www.cops.usdoj.gov. 

1 






The COPS Office graphic standards guidelines
 

The new COPS Office graphic standards 

When the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (the COPS Office) 

was established in 1994, we successfully created branding—a logo—that 

would stand the test of time. More than 20 years later, our logo has endured. 

We have refined it and created standards so that anyone using our identity for 

promotional use may do so correctly. 

The following pages are set up to identify color, typography, and other usage 

considerations that allow the user to create documents with the proper 

guidelines and brand voice as approved by the COPS Office. Look for the 

following symbols to help determine which graphic approaches are approved 

for use. 

 Indicates correct 

usage of the COPS 

Office logo 

 Indicates incorrect 

usage of the COPS 

Office logo and should 

not be used 

Helping you help us 

It’s our intention to deliver a set of easy-to-use and comprehensive guidelines 

that is based on industry standards so that anyone associated with our cause 

can deliver a well-presented message. 

As always, only so much can be covered in these guidelines. If you need clarity 

for matters not covered in this document, please feel free to contact our 

Publishing & Creative Resources group. 

We hope these guidelines help to position our identity in such a way that also 

furthers the identities of our many partners and other associates committed to 

keeping the United States safer through effective community policing practices. 

2 

Our two logos and when to use them 

We use two identifying marks. First, the standalone COPS Office logo is used 

for (1) all products produced on our behalf by partner or grantee organizations, 

including training presentations, event signage, and grant-funded websites, and 

(2) all internal products. Below is a breakout of the logo elements and their 

correct terms. 

Second, the DOJ-affiliated logo is reserved for products published by the 

COPS Office. In particular, the COPS Office has permission from the DOJ to 

use its seal on our publications. We cannot associate the DOJ seal with 

products not produced by the COPS Office. This logo comprises both the DOJ 

seal and our own logotype. Below is a breakout of this logo’s elements and 

their correct terms. 

STANDALONE LOGO 

USES 

Logotype

Separator rule 

Identifier 

Parent affiliate 

Products produced 

on our behalf by 

partner or grantee
 

organizations
 

Internal products 

DOJ-AFFILIATED LOGO 

DOJ seal 

Logotype

Separator rule 

Identifier 

Parent affiliate 

USE 

Products published 

by the COPS Office 
3

Preferred typographic standards 

Type is to read 

We also want our messages to be easily read on any media and have consistency. There are so many different typefaces that there’s no way we can effectively regulate the usage of them all. The below examples are two of the 

typefaces we use on our communications to ensure legibility and that our messages are taken seriously by our peers 

and audiences. Try not to use gimmicky or trendy typefaces on communications bearing the COPS Office name. 
cap height

 

1" 

minimum width 

Minimum lock-up and size of the COPS Office logo
 4 

What is the lock-up? 

Lock-up is the term used to define the acceptable clearance space allowed 

around the outside of a logo. It allows the logo to be seen without it being 

obstructed by any other graphic elements or being cut off in any way. 

The minimum lock-up for our logo is defined by the cap height of the “COPS” 

logotype, as illustrated above. An identical distance on all four sides establishes the boundary for the lock-up. The lock-up enlarges or reduces 

proportionately with the size of the logo used. 

Size limitations 

For legibility, the COPS Office 

logotype should not be used at 

less than 1 inch in width. 

A VISUAL EXPLANATION

OF LOCK-UP 

At right are two examples of the 

lock-up in use. The illustration at left 

shows the correct use of the logo with 

the minimum lock-up being observed. 

At right, the lock-up has been disregarded. It’s easy to see how the logo 

looks crowded and disproportionate 

with the other partner identity next to 

it and so close to the trim areas. 


 

Acceptable use of the standalone COPS Office logo
 5 

When to use the refreshed, standalone logo 

This version is to be used for (1) all products produced on our behalf by partner or grantee 

organizations, including training presentations, event signage, and grant-funded websites, and 

(2) all internal products. For guidance on properly using the DOJ-affiliated logo, see page 10. 

Do not use! 

This old logo 

was retired in 

fall 2017. 

This all black version of our 

logo may be used whenever 

documents or communications 

require laser printouts, photocopies, or inexpensive onecolor commercial print runs. 

This full-color version is to be 

used when we are allowed the 

benefit of color for high-quality 

commercial offset printing. It is 

also ideally suited for in-house 

printing using most standard 

color copiers and printers. 
Background color issues and solutions for the standalone COPS Office logo 

When placing our logo on a color background, please be careful of the color you choose, as the contrast can affect readability. To avoid 

visibility issues, make sure (1) the COPS logotype, (2) the red separator rule, and (3) the identifier and parent affiliate text are all clearly legible. 

6 
Background color issues and solutions for the standalone COPS Office logo cont’d 

7 
Background color issues and solutions for the standalone COPS Office logo cont’d 

8 
 

Unacceptable use of and changes to the standalone COPS Office logo
 9 

 Always include the separator rule, our 

agency’s name, and our parent affiliate’s 

name beneath the logotype. 

 The colors of the logo should not 

deviate from the original. 

 Special effects such as a drop shadow 

or reflection should never be used. 

 Low resolution and images obtained 

from the web should never be used. 

 We have an identity so never  

create your own. 

Never improvise or add elements to 

our logo. 

Do not change the color of elements 

on the approved identity. 

 Boxing out or framing our logo 

should never be done. 

 Do not resize our logo by condensing it.  Do not resize our logo by expanding it.  Our Identity should never be used as a word in sentences for messaging. 

 Do not alter the shape of our logo or 

include objects redefining our identity. 

4th ANNUAL 

COPS Fun Run  Our logo can be used over a photograph 

only when the supporting image is not 

busy and provides enough contrast to 

clearly define our logo. 

 Our identity should never be used as a 

part of another identity without approval. 

 Our logo should never be used with 

silly, contrived, or whimsical graphics. 

At left are samples 

of incorrect usage 

of the standalone 

COPS Office logo. 

Our identity has 

already been established. Any variations 

of our logo is a 

violation of usage 

because it serves 

only to create inconsistency and confusion 

and to diminish the 

integrity of our 

agency’s identity. 
 

Acceptable use of the DOJ-affiliated logo
 10 

When to use the refreshed, DOJ-affiliated logo 

This version is reserved for the COPS Office website and all products published by the COPS 

Office, including publications, promotions, or exhibits for the general public or for any audience 

outside of the COPS Office. We cannot associate the DOJ seal with products not produced by 

the COPS Office. This logo comprises both the DOJ seal and our own logotype. 



Do not use! 

This old logo 

was retired in 

spring 2013. 

This all black version of 

our logo may be used 

whenever our documents 

or communications 

require laser printouts, 

photocopies, or inexpensive one-color commercial print runs. 

This full-color version is to be used 

on all of our communications when 

we are allowed the benefit of color 

for high-quality commercial offset 

printing, such as our publications. 

For this version, we also use the 

DOJ seal in four-color process. It 

is also ideally suited for in-house 

printing using most standard 

color copiers and printers. 
11 Background color issues and solutions for the DOJ-affiliated logo 

When placing our logo on a color background, please be careful of the color you choose, as the contrast can affect readability. 

To avoid visibility issues, make sure (1) the COPS logotype, (2) the red separator rule, (3) the identifier and parent affiliate text, 

and (4) the edge of the yellow DOJ seal are all clearly legible. 
12 

Background color issues and solutions for the DOJ-affiliated logo cont’d
13 

Background color issues and solutions for the DOJ-affiliated logo cont’d
Unacceptable use of and changes to the DOJ-affiliated logo
 14 

 Do not transpose the placement of the 

COPS Office logotype with the seal. 

 Boxing out or framing the logo should 

never be done. 

 Do not resize the logo by expanding it. 

 Do not resize the logo by condensing it.  Low resolution and web images should 

never be used. 

 The logo should never be contained within 

a shape to create yet another logo. 

 Special effects such as a drop shadow 

or reflection should never be used. 

 



The alignment and placement of the two 

identities should never be redefined. 

Altered web images should never be used. 

Our logo should never be altered or used 

with silly, contrived, or whimsical graphics. 

The graphic structure of the logo should 

never be altered to square off or 

equalize the spacing of elements. 

 Never combine our logo with a statement or tagline.

At left are samples of 

incorrect usage of the 

DOJ-affiliated logo. 

Our identity has already 

been established. Any 

variations of our logo is a 

violation of usage because 

it serves only to create 

inconsistency and confusion 

and to diminish the integrity 

of our agency’s identity. 

US Department of Justice 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 

145 N Street NE 

Washington, DC 20530 

To obtain details on COPS Office programs, call 

the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770. 

Visit the COPS Office online at www.cops.usdoj.gov.