A new database launched by Mapping Police Violence reveals that U.S. police use force on at least 300,000 people annually, injuring about 100,000. Despite protests against police brutality following George Floyd's 2020 murder, force usage has remained steady, even increasing in some areas. The database, spanning 2017-2022, covers non-fatal force incidents like stun guns, chemical sprays, K9 attacks, and baton strikes.
The data highlights stark racial disparities, with Black people facing force at a rate 3.2 times higher than white people. The findings show that 83% of those subjected to force were unarmed, and less than 40% of incidents were linked to violent crimes. The analysis also suggests that unhoused individuals are disproportionately affected, with some agencies reporting that up to 44% of those subjected to force were unhoused.
Despite some isolated reductions in specific tactics, like a 90% drop in neck restraints since 2019, overall police force has not decreased. Samuel Sinyangwe, founder of Mapping Police Violence, emphasized, "The overall scale of the use of nonfatal force is just a different order of magnitude than deadly force."
The report also connects increases in police budgets to higher rates of force, particularly in jurisdictions aggressively enforcing low-level offenses. Salimah Hankins of the United Nations Antiracism Coalition pointed out the lack of accountability as a key barrier to change, stating, "If you have no real accountability, then why would there be the will to change this?"
Sinyangwe hopes the database will guide future interventions and reduce police violence. "The overall goal of making communities safer from police violence has not been achieved," he noted, calling for more effective policies to address the issue.
Link: The Guardian
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