Blount-Hill, Kwan-Lamar, Victor St.John and Erik Ryan (2017). Psychology of Space: Enhancing Legitimacy through Open, Transparent, and Inclusive Facilities for Police and the Public. Police Chief Magazine. Alexandria, VA: International Association of Chiefs of Police.

The trend in policing is toward being more open, more transparent, and more inclusive of the community. It would seem this move is needed more now than ever. While policing has found ways of further incorporating these aspects into police practice, the field has not given great consideration to the relevance of police buildings. We propose that open, transparent, and inclusive (OTI) design features are an important piece of a comprehensive strategy in improving police-public relations. From where to locate a building, to its structure, décor, and maintenance, police stations must be close and reachable; functional, accessible, navigable, secure and promote social facility; attractive, appropriate, and neutral, all intentionally so; and they must be maintained for comfort, operability, and with regard to capacity.