WHEREAS the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (“NACDL”) will commence an NACDL Law Enforcement Accountability Project (“NACDL LEAP”), designed to provide resources, training, and technical assistance to public defender offices wishing to establish law enforcement misconduct databases; and
WHEREAS NACDL LEAP is designed to expand defender access to and use of law enforcement accountability databases to generate a multi-stakeholder law enforcement accountability network; and
WHEREAS such databases will also contribute to public knowledge about law enforcement misconduct and the importance of law enforcement accountability; and
WHEREAS as a part of NACDL LEAP, NACDL will work with defender offices, innocence organizations, and other partners to acquire and track relevant data, and will work with state and local partners to promote reform that repeals the secrecy laws; and
WHEREAS the NACDL Foundation for Criminal Justice (“NFCJ”) has received and expects to continue receiving funding to support NACDL LEAP; therefore
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the NACDL President, in consultation with the Executive Director, is hereby authorized to establish an NACDL Law Enforcement Accountability Project Advisory Board (“Advisory Board”) to guide NACDL LEAP in its mission.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Advisory Board shall consist of a chairperson and no more than eight members, who shall be subject-matter experts, technologists, or prominent defense lawyers, each of whom shall preferably (but not necessarily) be NACDL members.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Advisory Board shall serve five primary functions for NACDL LEAP:
- Identifying critical areas of need; and
- Advising on the process and parameters for providing, or declining to provide, resources, training, and technical assistance; and
- Referring and recruiting potential defender offices and other participants; and
- Promoting NACDL LEAP’s work; and
- Reporting regularly to the NACDL Board of Directors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT NACDL staff will regularly inform the Advisory Board of the status of open matters and of notable developments.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Advisory Board, in consultation with NACDL staff, will establish internal operating procedures for maintaining confidentiality, identifying potential conflicts of interest, and adhering to germane contractual agreements
Resolution of the Executive Committee
August 6, 2020
By videoconference
