Law Enforcement Shootings In The United States: The Factors And Potential Solutions
Abstract
The United States has more than 17,000 police agencies across the nation with more than 800,000 men and women serving in these agencies, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. These officers provide for the safety and security of the residents within their geographic areas of employment. While law enforcements shooting of civilians is on the whole a rarity, the United States averages about 1,000 people killed annually by police departments across the country, based on research undertaken by The Washington Post, which compiles this annual data. This research sets out to first examine the factors that contribute to police-involved shootings across America in a general sense. Next, it examines case studies from across the country and their rates of police shootings to see how the contributing factors play a role in these localities. The research then analyzes police departments from decidedly Western nations through case studies to shed light on the practices of these departments and what, if anything, can be applied to the United States. This thesis concludes with generalized recommendations for possible changes in the United States and provides areas for future study based on the research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1164340
Entities
People
- Emmanuel Kwo
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School