Icons | Think Tanks Series | Rosa Brooks, Center on Innovations in Community Safety

In this engaging podcast series hosted by Thomas Canavan, the Executive Director of the National Law Enforcement Museum, we examine the vital role that law enforcement think tanks and policy centers play in shaping contemporary policing practices. Each episode features in-depth interviews with leading experts in the field, exploring their insights, research, and the innovative strategies they advocate to enhance public safety and community engagement.

Rosa’s professional journey weaves together elite academia, public service, and a deep exploration of national security and law enforcement. Entering Harvard at 17, she pursued history, later studying anthropology at Oxford and earning a law degree from Yale. Her career spans human rights advocacy, international policy, national security, and teaching roles at institutions such as UVA and Georgetown. Driven by intellectual curiosity, Rosa connects diverse fields, emphasizing the role of civilian institutions in addressing social issues and exploring the cultural dimensions of systems like the military and police.

The conversation highlighted her experience as a reserve police officer in Washington, DC—a role she took on to better understand the practice of policing. Training alongside full-time officers, Rosa applied her academic lens to examine gaps in ethical discussions and the purpose of policing. This experience led her to found the Center for Innovations in Community Safety at Georgetown Law, where she helped develop the ABLE program, a national initiative promoting bystander intervention in law enforcement. With over 25% of agencies participating, ABLE reflects Rosa’s commitment to reforming police culture through education, critical thinking, and bridging the gap between law, policy, and practice.

View the Museum's Public Program page to learn more about each participant.

https://nleomf.org/museum/precinct-444/