Michael Rein, Director for Organizational Assessment Services for Healy+, provides 11 free speech and demonstration resources.

1. 21st Century Protest Response: Promoting Democracy and Advancing Community and Officer Safety (National Policing Institute) This project aims to address these challenges and provide recommendations for state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies responding to mass demonstrations. The U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) partnered with the National Policing Institute (NPI) and Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) to conduct this project. The areas examined for this project include community relationship building before, during, and after mass demonstrations; officer safety and wellness; mass demonstration response strategies; communication; planning, preparation, and training; and community perspectives on mass demonstrations. The purpose, methods, and results of this report follow.
2. Campus Protests and Demonstrations: The Role of Emergency Management (National Center for Campus Public Safety) On November 10, 2017, campus public safety executives from 23 institutions of higher education (IHEs), with support from the National Center for Campus Public Safety (NCCPS), gathered in Long Beach, California, for a one-day forum. The forum’s purpose was to define the role of the emergency management program during the planning process for events likely to result in protests and demonstrations. The forum aligns with the NCCPS’s role as a nationwide resource for addressing critical issues in campus safety.
3. Police, Protestors and the Press (Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press) The United States has seen a wave of mass demonstrations and political protests in recent years. Press coverage of these events has been vital to communicating protesters’ concerns to the government and public. Yet, in 2017, the most dangerous place in the U.S. for a journalist was at a protest. According to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, nearly half of all press freedom incidents — such as arrests of and attacks on journalists and searches and seizures of newsgathering equipment — occurred at protests. This guide aims to help journalists understand their rights at protests and avoid arrest when reporting on these events. It summarizes the legal landscape and provides strategies and tools to help journalists avoid incidents with police and navigate them successfully should they arise.
4. Policing Protests to Protect Constitutional Rights and Public Safety (Policing Project) This detailed guide provides an overview of how to police demonstrations to protect public safety and democratic freedoms. Drawn largely from what policing leaders themselves have identified as best practices as well as evidence-based research, it provides clear guidance to the police and informs the public of what they should expect. A brief guide summarizing the key takeaways discussed here is also available.
5. Public Order Response and Operations Standards (NTOA) This document is the result of extensive efforts by the National Tactical Officers Association to provide direction to association members involved in Public Order response and operations. The intent of this standard is to better prepare law enforcement to respond to Public Order events and violent civil unrest. It is the position of the NTOA that the decision to form a tactical law enforcement resource, specifically a Public Order Unit, carries with it the responsibility to provide the ongoing training, equipment, leadership and financial support necessary to create and maintain an effective response capability. Integral to this responsibility is the obligation to deploy and operate these resources in a manner that is consistent with constitutional principles with an emphasis on professional deportment under all circumstances.
6. Public Safety & Elections: A Guide for Law Enforcement (National Policing Institute) Election season in the United States presents a unique public safety challenge for law enforcement: keeping voters, election officials, and the public safe while also maintaining a welcoming environment for all voters. Careful preparation, thoughtful internal and external communication, and robust relationships can help law enforcement leaders protect public safety throughout election season for all members of their communities. To help identify common challenges and successful strategies for protecting public safety during elections, the National Policing Institute (NPI), 21st Century Policing Solutions (21CP), and States United Democracy Center (SUDC) convened more than 60 federal, state, and local law enforcement leaders from across the country. This report synthesizes the findings of these peer-to-peer discussions and brings in research and other promising practices to create actionable guidance for jurisdictions.
7. Rethinking the Police Response to Mass Demonstrations: 9 Recommendations (Police Executive Resource Forum (PERF) This report is the product of a multifaceted project that took place over the course of 16 months and involved many people. The project started with the Daily Critical Issues Reports that PERF produced on the demonstrations of 2020- 21 (see page 8). PERF is grateful to all of the police chiefs, sheriffs, and other experts who agreed to be interviewed for more than 20 Daily Reports about the challenges they were facing and their strategies for managing demonstrations, safeguarding protesters’ Constitutional rights, and protecting public safety.
8. Responding to Campus Protests: A Practitioner Resource (NACUA) This article presented strategies for institutional leaders to engage campus law enforcement when addressing student protests that arise to civil disobedience and disorder.
9. Response to Protests on UC Campuses (University of California) In light of campus demonstrations, a review of existing policies and procedures regarding the University’s response to demonstrations and civil disobedience was conducted. The review focused on identifying best practices for the University’s response to demonstrations and protest management.
10. Protests and Demonstrations Guide for Colleges and Universities (IACLEA) Protests and demonstrations are a natural part of university life, reflecting the diverse views and vibrant engagement of the academic community. Effectively managing these events requires a balance between upholding free speech and maintaining campus safety and order. This guide outlines recommendations for university presidents and chiefs regarding protests and demonstrations.
11. Crowd Management and Civil Demonstrations Resources (International Association of Chiefs of Police) During these challenging times, the ability of police leaders, elected officials, and communities to prepare for, respond to, and successfully manage demonstrations and protests is more critical than ever. The IACP has a wide array of resources available to members that address crowd management and civil demonstrations. These include model policies, one-page overviews, articles from Police Chief magazine, and video training available through IACPlearn.