A University of Michigan study concludes that use of force by police is the sixth leading cause of death for young African-American men.
Study co-author Michael Esposito, a postdoctoral researcher in the Survey Research Center at the U-M Institute for Social Research, said, “This study shows us that police killings are deeply systematic, with race, gender and age patterning this excess cause of death.”
The study’s conclusions are based on an analysis of a database reported journalistically in a project called Fatal Encounters.
Causes of death that went into the analysis include gunshots, Tasers, asphyxiation, beatings, chemical agents and medical emergencies, but not cars chases or accidents.
Lead author Frank Edwards, assistant professor at Rutgers’ School of Criminal Justice, said, “What motivated this study was a big gap in what was available in terms of basic estimates of how likely people are to be killed by police.”
The lack of comprehensive federal data on the issue was one of the issues the Michigan State University School of Journalism encountered in putting together “100 Questions and Answers About Police Officers.”
The guide includes a section on use of force. Here is one question and answer:
What is “excessive force?”
Let’s distinguish between excessive force and deadly force. Law enforcement officers are trained to apply the force necessary to protect the public and themselves. The International Association of Chiefs of Police defines force as pressure used to control a situation or compel compliance. This can range from persuasion to firearm use, often called “lethal force.” Excessive force is using more than is necessary. When there is a lethal threat, police may use lethal force. Force does not have to be life-threatening to be excessive.
“100 Questions and Answers About Police Officers” is available from Amazon or the Front Edge Publishing bookstore.
