PoliticsPoliticspolice shooting data

New Bill Says It's Time To Track The Data On Police Shootings

New Bill Says It's Time To Track The Data On Police Shootings
Open Image Modal
By 

Reporter, HuffPost

|
Open Image Modal
Brandon Payton, right, of Baltimore, fist-bumps a National Guardsman standing outside of City Hall as protesters march by to demonstrate the police-custody death of Freddie Gray, Thursday, April 30, 2015, in Baltimore. Baltimore police say they have turned over their criminal investigation to a prosecutor who will decide whether charges are warranted in the death of Gray. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Two Democratic senators introduced a bill this week aimed at changing what former Attorney General Eric Holder once called the "unacceptable" lack of data on the subject of police shootings.

Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on Tuesday introduced the Police Reporting of Information, Data and Evidence Act (PRIDE), which would require states to report to the Justice Department any time a law enforcement officer is involved in a shooting and any instance where an officer or a civilian is seriously hurt or killed as a result of the use of force. States would also have to report details like the age, race and location of any victims; whether or not the civilians present were armed; and how many civilians and officers were involved.

"Too many members of the public and police officers are being killed, and we don't have reliable statistics to track these tragic incidents," Boxer said in a statement Tuesday. "This bill will ensure that we know the full extent of the problem so we can save lives on all sides."

There is currently no comprehensive federal program that collects data on law enforcement-involved shootings and use of force, making that information essentially impossible to find. The FBI's uniform crime report only includes police-involved killings that are considered "justifiable homicides" -- that is, killings that law enforcement officials consider excusable, like a civilian who is killed while committing a felony. These incidents are reported by police on a voluntary basis, meaning there are likely many more that happen than we have an official record of.

In her statement Tuesday, Boxer noted that there's also no comprehensive reporting on how many officers are killed in the line of duty. This year, 54 officers have been killed in the line of duty, 14 of them shot and killed by suspects, according to numbers from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Meanwhile, thus far in 2015, U.S. police have shot and killed at least 385 people, or about 2.5 people a day, according to a recent Washington Post estimate. And The Guardian -- which is making its own sustained effort to track police-killing statistics -- puts the year-to-date total even higher, at 408.

On Monday, The Guardian unveiled a project called "The Counted," a crowdsourced database that aims to tally police- and other law enforcement-involved deaths and record vital details of the incidents.

The database culls news from local reports, submitted tips (verified by The Guardian) and other public data. Guardian reporter Jon Swaine told The Huffington Post that the info arrives "in drips and drops," meaning that entries may be added, removed or revised as new information becomes available.

Swaine said the April shooting of South Carolina man Walter Scott offers one example of how an entry can morph as new details come to light: Initial reports based on police information painted a drastically different picture than the reality the public saw a day later when video of the incident was released.

Though law enforcement-involved shootings have captured the most media attention, Swaine said "The Counted" will also include cases like that of Baltimore's Freddie Gray, who died from a spinal cord injury sustained during a violent ride in a police van.

Swaine said The Guardian hopes "The Counted" will bolster efforts by local media, residents and others looking to better understand fatal police and civilian encounters. Already, he said, outlets in Los Angeles and New Orleans have used the tool to explore their own local numbers. He noted that the mapping tool can also help users see when incidents are clustered in particular geographic areas of a city.

Swaine said The Guardian plans to keep "The Counted" going at least through the rest of the year.

"[Guardian Editor-in-Chief Katharine Viner and I] were both surprised that there was no comprehensive report of police fatalities," said Swaine. "It was a gap we could fill and it fit with The Guardian’s, what you might call, ethos. It’s part of The Guardian’s tradition: skepticism of authority, skepticism of the police force."

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Police Misconduct 2014
Michael Brown(01 of10)
Open Image Modal
On Aug. 9, the unarmed 18-year-old was shot dead by Ferguson, Missouri, Police Officer Darren Wilson. Wilson claimed he shot Brown as the teen ran at him after the two fought over his gun. But multiple witnesses, including the majority of those heard by a grand jury, said Brown did not run toward the officer. Many said Brown had his hands up when he was shot and killed. On Nov. 24, a grand jury voted not to indict Wilson, setting off protests across America. (credit:Pool via Getty Images)
Eric Garner(02 of10)
Open Image Modal
New York City police suspected Eric Garner of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes on July 17. In an attempt to place him under arrest, officer Daniel Pantaleo put Garner in what New York Police Department Commissioner Bill Bratton described as a chokehold, a move banned by the department. Garner can be seen in a video of the incident saying he can’t breathe as Pantaleo holds him. He is later pronounced dead at a hospital. A Staten Island grand jury voted on Dec. 2 not to indict Pantaleo, setting off another wave of national protests. (credit:Associated Press)
Tamir Rice(03 of10)
Open Image Modal
On Nov. 22, 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot by police in Cleveland who were responding to reports of someone with a gun. The weapon he had in his hand was a pellet gun. Rice died a day later in the hospital. Video footage released by police showed that Timothy Loehmann, the officer who killed Rice, shot him within two seconds of exiting his car. (credit:Associated Press)
Akai Gurley(04 of10)
Open Image Modal
On Nov. 20, 28-year-old Akai Gurley exited his girlfriend's apartment in a Brooklyn, New York, public housing building. He started going down a dark stairwell that had a broken light. Rookie New York Police Department Officer Peter Liang, who had his gun drawn as he patrolled the stairwell, shot and killed Gurley. Police said the shooting was accidental. The New York Daily News reported that, instead of calling an ambulance, Liang texted his union representative after he shot Gurley. A grand jury will determine whether Liang faces charges. (credit:Associated Press)
John Crawford III(05 of10)
Open Image Modal
On Aug. 5, 22-year-old John Crawford III was shot and killed by police inside a Beavercreek, Ohio, Walmart. Crawford was carrying an air rifle that he had picked up inside the store. Cops were called to investigate a man waving what could be a firearm. Police said Crawford refused to put down the gun and turned toward them in a threatening way. But lawyers representing Crawford's family say the officers were reckless and negligent. A grand jury voted not to indict either of the officers involved in the killing. (credit:Associated Press)
Ezell Ford(06 of10)
Open Image Modal
On Aug. 11, Los Angeles police conducted "an investigative stop" and interrogated unarmed 25-year-old Ezell Ford. At some point, Ford was shot and killed. An LAPD statement on the killing said, "During the stop a struggle ensued, which resulted in an officer-involved-shooting." But witnesses told The Huffington Post that police shouted, "Shoot him," moments before three bullets hit Ford, who was on the ground. The case remains under investigation. (credit:KTLA)
Samantha Ramsey(07 of10)
Open Image Modal
Samantha Ramsey was killed as she tried to drive away from a party on April 26 in Boone County, Kentucky. Boone County deputy Tyler Brockman said he shot Ramsey after she ran over his foot and forced him onto the hood of her car. He said he feared for his life and the lives of others when he opened fire. But witnesses said Brockman jumped onto the hood of her car and killed her unnecessarily. In November, a grand jury voted not to indict Brockman. (credit:Facebook)
Darrien Hunt(08 of10)
Open Image Modal
Darrien Hunt was shot seven times by Saratoga Springs, Utah, police who were investigating reports of a man with a sword on Sept. 10 at a shopping center. Hunt's family said the sword was a replica. Police said Hunt refused to give up his sword and then started swinging it at them. An autopsy report determined that Hunt was shot seven times by officers, including several times in the back as he fled from police. The Hunt family's attorney, Bob Sykes, disputed assertions from cops that the 22-year-old acted aggressively. "I think it's a whitewash. I think it's an exaggeration," Sykes said. "I think they ignored good hard evidence to the contrary." (credit:Associated Press)
Rumain Brisbon(09 of10)
Open Image Modal
Phoenix Police Officer Mark Rine was investigating a tip that 34-year-old Rumain Brisbon was selling drugs inside an SUV on Dec. 2. Police said Brisbon didn't obey the officer's commands and instead fled inside an apartment complex where a struggle ensued. During the struggle, Rine mistook a pill bottle in Brisbon's pants for a gun and fatally shot him, according to police. Brisbon was unarmed, though police found a gun in his SUV. Prosecutors are investigating whether Rine should face charges. (credit:Associated Press)
Kajieme Powell(10 of10)
Open Image Modal
Less than two weeks after Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri, 25-year-old Kajieme Powell was shot and killed by police in nearby St. Louis. Police were called to a convenience store to investigate a man causing a disturbance and acting irrationally. They found Powell with a knife in his hand, and graphic video shows Powell approaching them yelling, "Shoot me." But the video also appears to undermine some of the initial assertions from police. Instead of holding the knife in an overhand grip, as police said, Powell had his hands at his sides.Powell also did not get as close to the cops as they originally claimed. (credit:The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip