Improving Protest Policing

Lessons Learned and Recommendations for Law Enforcement and Protest Organizers

Dionne Barnes-Proby, Samuel Peterson, Alexandra Mendoza-Graf, Amanda Charbonneau, Ishita Ghai, Shona Olalere Oluwatola

ResearchPublished Jan 22, 2026

This report examines how U.S. communities and law enforcement can promote peaceful protests. Analyzing data from 2017 to 2024 and six case studies, researchers find that violence is rare and often linked to mistrust or poor communication. Peaceful outcomes are more likely when police and communities build trust before events, maintain dialogue during them, and reflect together afterward. Sustained engagement ensures safety and protects rights.

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Barnes-Proby, Dionne, Samuel Peterson, Alexandra Mendoza-Graf, Amanda Charbonneau, Ishita Ghai, and Shona Olalere Oluwatola, Improving Protest Policing: Lessons Learned and Recommendations for Law Enforcement and Protest Organizers. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2026. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA4218-2.html.
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This research was funded by the National Institute of Justice and conducted by the Infrastructure and Justice Program of RAND Education, Employment, and Infrastructure.

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