AUTHORIZED Databases and Police Technology (ADAPT) Act - Working Draft

Overview

Our Authorized Databases and Police Technology (ADAPT) Act builds from the framework established by the ACLU’s Community Control Over Police Surveillance (CCOPS) model statute, which was drafted nearly four years prior to the drafting of this document, but adds new language to regulate the use of policing databases along with policing technologies. This document was vetted by a diverse group of stakeholders as part of Tech Salon Series, along with our Authorized Policing Technology (APT) Act.

We make this working draft available for public review in the hopes of soliciting additional feedback and encouraging broader dissemination and use. Please use the feedback form below to submit any comments, questions or suggestions regarding the ADAPT Act working draft.

Key TakeAways

1). Expands oversight and transparency beyond policing technologies to include databases, such as fingerprint databases, DNA databases, gang-databases, automated license plate reader databases, or criminal history databases.

2). Strikes a balance between allowing law enforcement to use tools beneficial to public safety, while accounting for the need to protect sensitive information collected by law enforcement against privacy breaches, bias, and civil liberties intrusions.

3). Provides for a triennial assessment to ensure that protections and reporting requirements are in place and working as intended.