To Understand Police Reform, Law Professor Volunteered To Join The Force

Law professor and human rights activist Rosa Brooks wanted to better understand police violence and the racial disparities in America's criminal justice system, so she decided to join the police force as a volunteer.

As a reserve officer with the Washington, D.C. police department, Brooks received the same training as officers at the police academy and was sent on patrol like other police. From 2016 until 2020, she carried a badge and a gun and worked a minimum of 24 hours a month — all on a voluntary basis.

Brooks says her family — including her mother, writer and left-wing activist Barbara Ehrenreich — was not supportive of the endeavor.