Dozens of law schools, including the Nebraska College of Law, have joined the American Bar Association to create a new Legal Education Police Practices Consortium to contribute to the national discussion of police and public safety reform.

The consortium will leverage the ABA’s expertise in developing model police practices and that of interested ABA-accredited law schools to collaborate on projects to develop and implement better police practices throughout the United States, according to a news release. Fifty-two law schools have so far agreed to join the consortium for the next five years.

“The ABA has the ability to bring together diverse groups to address these problems and the duty to act to help bring racial equality to our criminal justice system,” ABA President Patricia Lee Refo said in a release. “The consortium will engage law students and legal experts from around the country in studying and forming solutions to help improve policing practices in our communities.” The consortium will advance model police practices and support effective policing, racial equity in the criminal justice system and the elimination of tactics that are racially motivated or have a disparate impact based on race.

Each participating law school will have one or more students engage in consortium activities, such as promoting ABA policies, developing new policy, engaging with law enforcement agencies and leaders, conducting research, providing advocacy and developing model curricula.

“Law schools around the nation are looking for ways to make a positive impact on police practices,” said Andrew Perlman, dean at Suffolk University Law School in Boston. “The idea behind the consortium is that we can achieve a great deal by acting collectively and in collaboration with a national leader on criminal justice issues like the American Bar Association. We look forward to working together to make a difference in our communities and nationally.”