If you’re here it’s likely because you found some common ground with CopBlock.org’s mission. Do you want to help foster police accountability but question where to start or how you can you be most-effective?

Listed below are a number of ways that you can get involved, organized in order of the least- to the most-time intensive. You’ll see that many things take only minutes. If you can’t spare any time consider donating to CopBlock.org.

If we each do a little bit we’ll all be much better off.

Thanks in advance for taking the initiative, we look forward to collaborating with you!

Art by Dave Dixon: http://BlackCollarPolitics.com

EDUCATE YOURSELF

(lifelong)
Before doing anything it’s important that you yourself have a solid foundation and a clearly defined goal, without which you may be acting aimlessly or even counter-productively. Review content here on CopBlock.org and expose yourself to content and ideas shared elsewhere. Ask questions. Think for yourself.

Once grounded, tactics employed could include sharing CopBlock.org content, providing feedback and ideas, participating in call floods, taking pictures or videos of police interactions, writing for CopBlock.org or starting a group in your area.

Whatever you do – be sure it aligns with your interests and skills and always seek to maximize impact while mitigating risk.

SHARE COPBLOCK.ORG CONTENT

(minutes)
See something you like on CopBlock.org or one of its outlets? Share it with your friends, fam and those in your sphere. Introducing others to content they might not otherwise see is a quick and easy. And, it could have a significant, paradigm-shifting impact on the life of someone else, thus making us all safer.

CopBlock.org Homepage

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PROVIDE FEEDBACK & IDEAS

(minutes)
Have ideas on what CopBlock.org could do differently to have a bigger impact while advancing its mission? Let us know! If warranted we’ll implement your suggestion, and if needed, hopefully we can work together to make that happen.

Leave comments on our blog, Facebook page, Tweets, and other outlets. Whether you have praise, constructive criticism or opposing views, they’re all welcome and appreciated.

This site will be what we as a community make of it. If you wish to post your content on your own (or another) site, no worries. Just give us a heads-up about your upcoming post and we’ll re-post it (with a proper link, of course) or find some other way to promote it. Thanks in advance!

PARTICIPATE IN CALL FLOODS

(minutes)
Some fail to hold individuals responsible for their actions simply due to the fact that they’re employed at a police department. The only sure outcome of such permitted unaccountability is an even greater double-standard, which will lead to more frequent and more severe rights-violations.

When warranted, CopBlock.org spearheads or joins Call Floods, and encourages those in its network to proactively engage with the aggressor to let them know what your thoughts on their actions. Rather than accept claims of ‘serving and protecting’ or shifting blame to their entire police department, Call Floods rightly focus the attention on the aggressor.

You’re always welcome to say you’re a blogger (freelanced writer) for CopBlock.org. We have an email address (CopBlock[at]gmail[dot]com) available for your use if you want to keep your information private. And if you’re so-inclined and have the set-up, record and share your conversations. Let the aggressors know their actions didn’t go unnoticed.

For current call floods check out the Call Floods tab. For previous call floods check out the posts tagged with the categories Call Flood and Updates.

PHOTOGRAPH THE POLICE AND SHARE

(minutes)
Take photos of cops. Even if they aren’t doing anything illegal or wrong (though it certainly doesn’t hurt if they are) and upload them to this album on Facebook or share them with CopBlock.org.

Snap a photo while heading to work, doing errands, or if the police show up on your block. Depending on your camera (or phone), this could take less then a minute. You just created content, be sure to share it! The more often you do so the more comfortable you’ll be when and if you observe a dicey situation.

If the police in the picture are breaking the law or if you have a few extra minutes, politely ask the officer(s) their name and badge number and document it along with the time, date, and location. These pictures are featured on Friday’s Finest and/or Call Flood posts. Also, consider doing a write-up with related details and sharing it via CopBlock.org/Submit.

If you don’t have a Facebook account or don’t want to post them there, feel free to email photos to us at CopBlock[at]gmail[dot]com

SHOOT A VIDEO AND SHARE

(minutes to hours)
Capture video of police activity you witness or in which you yourself are involved. We recognize that not everyone is a professional video editor nor does everyone have a top-notch editing program at their disposal. That’s ok – we don’t have any requirements for videos submitted (length, titling, editing, etc.). We’re much more interested in showcasing people exercising their rights and in helping to facilitate the subsequent educational gains from sharing your video.

Videos submitted to Cop Block can address traffic stops, phone calls, police brutality, police breaking traffic and parking laws and even just police encounters in general. We never want good video content to go to waste so hit us up if you think we can help and we’ll see what we can do.

For more, read: CopBlock.org: Copblocking 101 This document was drafted by contributors Pete Eyre and Ademo Freeman based on their experiences and what they thought others may find useful. It does not does not speak for others involved at the decentralized CopBlock.org.

WRITE FOR COPBLOCK

(biweekly commitment)
If you currently write about police wrongdoings or have an interest in doing so, contact us. Let us know what topics you want to focus on, how frequently you can contribute and any other related info. Or, if you’re unable to contribute on a regular basis you can just write a single entry about a topic that interests you or content you captured. These can be sent to us via email: CopBlock[at]gmail[dot]com

START A GROUP

(ongoing commitment)
If you really want to make an impact start a group!

Since CopBlock.org was started in early 2010 a number of proactive individuals have founded groups to push for police accountability in their area. See CopBlock.org/About for a current list.

For more, read: CopBlock.org: Start A Group, a document drafted by contributors Pete Eyre and Ademo Freeman, which gives a six-step overview on how to start your own group. As it notes, CopBlock.org is decentralized, which means each group has complete autonomy. If you’re interested in starting a group there is nothing that you *have* to do. Instead, consider this as informational – use what you find relevant and ignore the rest.