This contest is seeking community policing in action photos from state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies. The COPS Office will accept one official submission of one photo only from each law enforcement agency. Submissions including more than one photo may be disqualified (no collages will be accepted).

All contest submissions must meet the following criteria:

1. One photo of positive community engagement that promotes community policing and trust building with community members, stakeholders, local government, and others.
   • Photo may include community members of all ages, however, we highly encourage photos depicting positive interactions with adults.
2. Photo must be visibly clear and preferably sized to fit a rectangular header.
3. Photo must include a description of the photo including the date (month and year) the photo was taken and a detailed explanation of why it is an example of community policing in action.
4. Photo must include appropriate photo credit information (examples: Photo courtesy of [name of law enforcement agency] or Photo taken by [name of photographer]).
5. Photo must not endorse or appear to endorse any commercial organization, product or service including, but not limited to, displaying brand names, logos or trademarks on any people, equipment or objects visible in the photo.
   • If the organization, product, or service is featured prominently in the photo, the law enforcement agency should make every attempt to blur the image before submission.
6. Photo must not contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate content.
7. Photos featuring minors should be at a very highly public event focused on children (e.g., a youth outreach summit). Consent by the parent or legal guardian must be given for all photos of minors.
8. Submission must include an original, completed, and signed Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release Authorizing Use and Disclosure of Photographic Image form secured by the law enforcement agency from each individual (law enforcement and non-law enforcement) recognizable in the photo or, in the case of a minor, each minor’s parent or legal guardian. This form contains required Privacy Act consent provisions and authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to use the individual’s image for Federal Government purposes. The law enforcement agency must use this Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release form (unaltered) for the contest. If the law enforcement agency is unable to obtain consent from an individual, his/her image must be blurred out prior to submitting the photo to the contest. Please be advised that the law enforcement agency should consult its own legal counsel for guidance on securing separate permission to use an individual’s photographic image for purposes unrelated to this contest (e.g., posting the photo on the law enforcement agency’s website).
9. Submission must include an original, completed, and signed Permission and Release to Law Enforcement Agencies form signed by an authorized representative of the law enforcement agency. This form certifies that the law enforcement agency secured Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release forms from all individuals recognizable in the photo and grants the U.S. Department of Justice a license to use the photo for Federal Government purposes. The law enforcement agency must use the Permission and Release to Law Enforcement Agencies form (unaltered) for the photo contest.

The COPS Office reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to blur out any images (including branded commercial products and individuals without signed Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release forms) before using them in COPS Office social media or other communications.

The COPS Office may disqualify any submissions that do not fully comply with the contest terms, rules and conditions.

Photos must be submitted by email to tellcops@usdoj.gov. Emails must include all submission requirements.

Photos will be accepted in JPG, PSD, PNG, or EPS formats only. It is recommended that photos are sized to fit a rectangular header.

Photos taken during the 2020 calendar year are preferred.

The law enforcement agency may be asked for supplemental information after the submission deadline.

Our Selection Committee will judge submissions on:

1. Photographic quality
2. Photo description
3. Explanation of how submission is an example of community policing
4. Completeness of submission package

The COPS Office will select twelve (12) winning photos to be showcased as headers on the COPS Office Twitter and Facebook pages. Winning agencies may also be featured in an article in the COPS Office e-newsletter, the CP Dispatch, and/or a COPS Office issued press release. Winners will be notified via email by December 28, 2020.

If your law enforcement agency is not selected as a winner for this contest, the COPS Office may archive your photo for future use in official COPS Office or U.S. Department of Justice communications disseminated to the public.

The law enforcement agency retains all existing rights including ownership, if applicable, to any photo submitted to this contest. An authorized representative from the law enforcement agency must complete the Permission and Release to Law Enforcement Agencies form and a signed original must be included with the official contest submission.

If the law enforcement agency does not own the copyright to the photo, it confirms that it has obtained the necessary permission from the copyright owner authorizing the U.S. Department of Justice to use, or authorize others to use, the photo in any format for Federal Government purposes.

The law enforcement agency confirms that it has obtained the necessary Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release Authorizing Use and Disclosure of Photographic Image forms from all individuals, including the parents or legal guardians of minors, who appear in the photo authorizing the U.S. Department of Justice to use their photographic images in any format for Federal Government purposes.

The law enforcement agency must be prepared to promptly provide any missing forms to the COPS Office upon request.

By submitting a photo to this contest, the entrant grants the U.S. Department of Justice a non-exclusive, irrevocable and royalty-free license to use, or authorize others to use, the photo in any format for Federal Government purposes.

If the COPS Office or the U.S. Department of Justice uses a photo, proper credit will be given.

By submitting a photo to this contest, the law enforcement agency agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the U.S. Department of Justice and its employees, agents or representatives, from any and all liability for any injuries, loss, claim, action, demand or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this contest including, but not limited to, any third party claim for copyright infringement or a violation of any individual's right to privacy and/or publicity right.

The law enforcement agency is solely responsible for ensuring that it has the right to submit the photo that it enters per the contest rules, terms and conditions

This contest is void where prohibited by law.

Posting contest photos on COPS Office social media or in other formats is intended to provide the public with examples of community policing in action and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Department of Justice of any law enforcement agency, individual, company, product or organization that may be featured in the photo.

Q: I am not affiliated with a law enforcement agency. May I submit photos?
A: No, only official submissions by state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies will be accepted.

Q: How many photos can I submit?
A: One official submission of one photo only will be accepted from each law enforcement agency. Submissions including more than one photo (including collages) may be disqualified.

Q: Can I send the photos through social media?
A: Photos must be submitted by email to tellcops@usdoj.gov. Email submission must comply with all requirements outlined in the Contest Rules, Terms, and Conditions.

Q: What is the deadline to submit photos?
A: Photos must be submitted by 8:00 p.m. EST on Monday, November 16, 2020.

Q: What is a complete submission?
A: A complete submissions contains only one photo with a brief description of how the image represents community policing in action, and the signed Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release Authorizing Use and Disclosure of Photographic Image form for each recognizable individual, as well as the signed Permission and Release to Law Enforcement Agencies form.

Q: Can photos taken prior to 2020 be submitted?
A: We strongly encourage that photos submitted for this contest be taken during the 2020 calendar year. Please note that all photos, regardless of when taken, must include original signed (unaltered) Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release Authorizing Use and Disclosure of Photographic Image forms from each recognizable individual in the photo or, in the case of minors, each minor’s parent or legal guardian. If these forms cannot be obtained because individuals featured in the photo cannot be located or refuse to sign the form, the photos may not be submitted unless recognizable faces are blurred.

Q: Can I submit photos of minors?
A: Yes, photos of minors may be submitted if they were taken at very highly public events focused on children (e.g., a youth outreach summit) and original signed (unaltered) Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release Authorizing Use and Disclosure of Photographic Image forms are obtained from each minor’s parent or legal guardian. Highly public events are defined as events open to the media.

Q: Where can I find versions of the required forms?
A: The Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release Authorizing Use and Disclosure of Photographic Image form is located on the COPS Office website at: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/photocontest/Photo_Contest_Form_Notice_and_Consent.pdf.
The Permission and Release to Law Enforcement Agencies form is located on the COPS Office website at: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/photocontest/Photo_Contest_Forms_Perm_and_Release.pdf.

Q: Do I have to submit both forms?
A: Yes, each photo submission must include the Permission and Release form from the law enforcement agency and the Privacy Consent, Release and Waiver form for each individual recognizable in the photo.

Q: Do I have to submit consent forms for public figures?
A: Yes, consent forms are required for all persons featured visibly in the photo submission, including public figures.

Q: Can previous winners participate and win again?
A: Yes, previous law enforcement agency winners can participate in this year’s contest and will be judged based on the selection criteria included in the Contest Rules, Terms and Conditions.

Q: Can I submit a photo that I have previously submitted?
A: While we recommend that photos be taken during the 2020 calendar year, we will accept photos taken previously and submitted in prior contests.

Q: How will the winning photos be selected?
A: Photos will be judged by a selection committee of COPS Office staff and executives. Photos will be judged based on

1. Photographic quality
2. Photo description
3. Explanation of how the photo is an example of community policing
4. Completeness of submission package

Q: When will I be notified if my photo is selected as a winner?
A: All contestants will be notified by December 28, 2020 via email.

Q: Is there a cash award or other prize for being selected a winner?
A: No, there is no cash award or other prize for this photo contest.

Q: Who can I contact if I need additional information?
A: Contact the COPS Office via email at tellcops@usdoj.gov.