Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Project

Background

Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) is a peer intervention training program designed to equip police officers with the skills to intervene when colleagues’ actions may lead to harm, mistakes, or misconduct. Since its launch, ABLE has been adopted by more than 400 law enforcement agencies nationwide. Despite its rapid diffusion and strong institutional support, there is limited rigorous evidence on whether ABLE training produces measurable changes in officer behavior beyond self-reported attitudes

Purpose

This project conducts a comprehensive experimental evaluation of the ABLE program to assess its effectiveness in promoting peer intervention and reducing police use of force and complaints. Using a randomized controlled trial, the study assigns clusters of officers to treatment and control conditions, combining administrative data on officer behavior with pre- and post-training surveys. By expanding evaluation to an additional police department, the research increases the generalizability of findings across policing contexts.

Outcome

The study will provide some of the first causal evidence on whether peer intervention training meaningfully changes police behavior. Findings will inform law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and training organizations about the effectiveness of ABLE, guiding evidence-based decisions on police training investments and contributing to efforts to reduce misconduct and improve public trust.