Glossary of terms used in the Role of Vendors & Community Input in Policy Development section of the Body-Worn Cameras and Dashboard Cameras: Final Recommendations report.
Consent decree: A court-approved federal consent decree is a legally binding settlement agreement between the United States Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) and the local or state government that controls the law enforcement agency in question. State and local governments may enter a consent decree with the U.S. DOJ to resolve civil lawsuits in which the U.S. DOJ alleges that the law enforcement agency is engaging in a pattern or practice that violates the United States Constitution. The consent decree describes the areas of concern within the department and sets goals that the department must achieve.
Consent decree monitor: A team appointed by a federal judge to oversee the implementation of a consent decree. The monitor updates the federal court on whether the law enforcement agency is successfully making the reform goals outlined in the decree.
Pattern-or-practice investigation: An investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice to determine whether a law enforcement agency has any unconstitutional patterns or practices. These investigations often examine issues related to searches and seizures, use of force, racial profiling, etc. Click here for more information (PDF, 11KB).
Qualitative data: Data that describes qualities, characteristics, or beliefs. An example of qualitative data would be responses related to how the public feels about interactions with APD officers.