This contest is seeking 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 proactive policing 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.
   • All pictured officers recognizable in the photo must be in good standing.     
      
2. Photo must be visibly clear and preferably sized to fit a rectangular header (horizontal images).     
    
3. Submission must include a caption of the photo, including the date (month and year) the photo was taken and a detailed explanation of why it is an example of proactive policing and how it highlights the dedication and service of America’s law enforcement officers.     
    
4. Photo must include appropriate photo credit information; for example, “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, by 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 (unaltered) secured by the law enforcement agency from each individual (law enforcement and non–law enforcement) recognizable in the photo (with or without masks / face coverings) or, in the case of a minor, from 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. If the law enforcement agency is unable to obtain consent from an individual, their 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 any 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 (unaltered) 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 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.

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

Photos and the mandatory forms 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. We recommend that photos be sized to fit a rectangular header. 

Photos taken during the 2024 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 the following criteria: 

1. Photographic quality
2. Brief photo caption 
3. Explanation of how the photo is an example of protecting and serving in the community
4. Completeness of submission package

The COPS Office will select approximately twelve (12) winning photos that may be showcased as headers on the COPS Office Twitter and Facebook pages and on the homepage of the COPS Office website. Winning agencies may also be featured in an article in the COPS Office e-newsletter, the CP Dispatch, or a COPS Office–issued press release.

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 COPS Office reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to not move forward with featuring a law enforcement agency, officer, or photo at any time.

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 proactive policing 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.

Q1: 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. 

Q2: 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.

Q3: Can I send the photos through social media?     

A: Photos must be submitted by e-mail to tellcops@usdoj.gov. Email submission must comply with all requirements outlined in the Contest Rules, Terms, and Conditions.

Q4: What is the deadline to submit photos?     

A: Photos must be submitted by 8:00 PM ET on Monday, November 3, 2025.

Q5: What is a complete submission?     

A: A complete submission contains the following:

•       Only one photo with the following information:

  •     a caption of the image, including the date (month and year);
  •     a detailed explanation of why the image is an example of proactive policing; and
  •     appropriate photo credit information.

  Please note that all pictured officers recognizable in the photo must be in good standing.

• The following mandatory forms:
  • The Permission and Release to Law Enforcement Agencies form (unaltered) signed by a representative from the submitting law enforcement agency.
  • The Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release Authorizing Use and Disclosure of Photographic Image form (unaltered) signed by each recognizable individual in the photo.

Q6: What is the difference between these mandatory forms?     

A: Please see the below uses for the forms:

• Permission and Release to Law Enforcement Agencies form: An authorized law enforcement representative must sign this form. By signing this form, the agency confirms the following:
  • It owns the copyright to the image (or has obtained the necessary permission(s) from the copyright owner)
  • The agency grants the DOJ authority to use the image in any media format for Federal Government purposes
• Privacy Consent, Waiver, and Release Authorizing Use and Disclosure of Photographic Image form: All recognizable individuals within the photo must sign this form. By signing this form, the individual confirms the following:
  • The DOJ is authorized to use their photographic image for Federal Government purposes
  • Individual consents to disclosing their photographic image to the public

Please read the Contest Rules, Terms, and Conditions for full details about the forms.

Q7: 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.

Q8: 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: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/photocontest/Photo_Contest_Privacy_Consent.pdf.     

The Permission and Release to Law Enforcement Agencies form is located on the COPS Office website at: https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/photocontest/Photo_Contest_Permission_Release_Form.pdf.

Q9: Can I submit photos of minors?     

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

Q10: 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.

Q11: Can multiple people sign one privacy consent form?      

A: No, each recognizable individual must complete their own separate privacy consent form.

Q12: Do I have to submit privacy consent forms for individuals wearing masks?     

A: Yes, privacy consent forms are required for individuals wearing masks, as masks only partially cover faces and a photo subject could still be identified.

Q13: Can photos taken prior to 2025 be submitted?     

A: We strongly encourage that photos submitted for this contest be taken during the 2025 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 form(s) 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. 

Q14: 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. 

Q15: Can I submit a photo that I have previously submitted?     

A: While photos taken during the 2025 calendar year are preferred, we will accept photos taken previously and submitted in prior contests. 

Q16: 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 the following criteria: 

1. Photographic quality
2. Brief photo caption, including the date (month and year)
3. Explanation of how the photo is an example of protecting and serving in the community
4. Completeness of submission package

Q17: When will I be notified if my photo is selected as a winner?     

A: Winners will be announced and notified via email in January 2026.

Q18: 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.

Q19: Who can I contact if I need additional information?     

A: Contact the COPS Office via email at tellcops@usdoj.gov.