How bad are police?

[timmy]

Let's take a look at deaths by police based on race/ethnicity

Hey, this doesn't look so bad. From watching the news, I would expect blacks to be at 50% and whites to be down there at 7%. What is going on here? Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings

[timmy]

Okay, but what about population stupid? There are way more whites out there!

Hmm, okay. I think I am starting to see something now. Blacks make up 13% of the population but 26% of the deaths by cops?!? Whites make up 64% of the population but only 50% of the deaths by cops?!? Maybe the media has a point. Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings Source: http://www.census.gov/2010census/

[timmy]

Let's focus now on white vs black...

The rest of the population seems to be where they should be. Let's ignore those numbers and just pretend the US is only blacks and whites. Jeez, looking at it this way only makes the case against police more obvious. Cops sure do appear to be pretty racist. There are 5x as many whites as blacks but only 2x the number of people killed by police are white. Let's get our pitchforks ready! Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings Source: http://www.census.gov/2010census/

[timmy]

But what about men and women? I keep hearing about this patriarchy thing. Cops must love to kill women!

Wait a second... This is nucking futs! Cops are systematically exterminating men? Women make up 51% of the population but 96% of the people cops kill are men?!?! Could systemic and rampant sexism against men in the police force be any more obvious? Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings Source: http://www.census.gov/2010census/

[timmy]

But wait... Maybe women just don't commit much violent crime

Ohhhh so when you commit more violent crimes like murders, you don't get shot by police as much. Interesting... but they still do kill a few more men... Sexists. Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings Source: https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/crime-in-the-u.s.-2013/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/expanded-homicide/expanded_homicide_data_table_6_murder_race_and_sex_of_vicitm_by_race_and_sex_of_offender_2013.xls

[timmy]

But what about race and murder rates?

So whites commit 51% of the murders, but they are killed by police 66% of the time... Holy cops are racist!!!!! It's official, cops hate white men! Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings Source: https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/crime-in-the-u.s.-2013/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/expanded-homicide/expanded_homicide_data_table_6_murder_race_and_sex_of_vicitm_by_race_and_sex_of_offender_2013.xls

[timmy]

And how about all those unarmed victims being killed by police?

Well dang, only 9% of the 990 deaths by police was an unarmed suspect... I guess that isn't so bad. Unarmed doesn't mean not dangerous after all. You are off this hook this time police! Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings

[timmy]

What about how many times police stop/encounter citizens?

Yup, they are still sexist. 53% of police encounters are male despite males being 49% of the population. Source: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cpp08.pdf Source: http://www.census.gov/2010census/

[timmy]

What about racist?

Yup, still hate white people. 75% of police encounters in 2008 were with white citizens, despite being 64% of the population. Source: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cpp08.pdf Source: http://www.census.gov/2010census/

[timmy]

What about a more specific encounter like being pulled over?

This graph is different from the rest... This looking at each sub-population individually. It doesn't need to be weighted by population. 9.9 percent of men were pulled over in 2008. Only 7% of women were pulled over... Sexists. Source: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cpp08.pdf

[timmy]

And how about drivers by race?

Again, this is looking at each sub-population individually, no need to weight it based on race population. 8.4% of white men were pulled over in 2008. 8.8% of black men were pulled over. Pretty darn close. I guess their racism isn't statistically significant. Source: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cpp08.pdf

[timmy]

So cops might not hate black people, but they still kill a lot.

That they do. 990 people killed by police in a year is a lot. But, there are about 40 million police/citizen encounters in a year and about 1000 deaths by police. Source: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cpp08.pdf Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings

[timmy]

That is only 2.47 deaths per 100,000 encounters.

You are far more likely to die in a car crash in a given year... And not too much more likely to die by police than a Tornado (living in the US in general). If you live in Oklahoma, you are far more likely to die by a tornado. Source: http://www.besthealthdegrees.com/health-risks/ Source: http://www.asktheodds.com/death/tornado-odds/ Source: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cpp08.pdf Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings

[timmy]

But the public likes anecdotal evidence... Only unarmed black men are killed by white police.

Not exactly... There are quite a few cases where roles are reversed. The man on the left is Gilbert Collar. He was shot and killed by the officer on the right. Was Gilbert armed? No, in fact he was even naked. In addition, video shows he had his arms outstretched and his palms open when he was shot. Not only was this officer not convicted of anything, not many people even know this happened. There was little national attention, there were no riots, and no marches. It happens the other way too, you just never hear about it. It doesn't make good TV.

[timmy]

Some final words...

I know there are a lot of headlines about cops killing unarmed people. And sometimes it may even be a dirty cop. But sometimes decisions have to be made fast, and the right one isn't always chosen. Police work in a world where a slight hesitation, the slightest flinch by a person, could mean death. These are human beings, that feel fear, and adrenaline and the same fight or flight reactions that everyone else has, only they are trained to not run away, but to run towards the danger. Some of us get afraid walking up stairs once we turn off the light. Police have to walk, often alone, in the dark, and confront complete strangers that usually committed some crime already, whether that is speeding or something worse. Unfortunately they are human and they will make mistakes. Not all mistakes are justified, and unfortunately in their position mistakes can mean deaths. I am sure not all cops are cut out to be on patrol. But even the very best of us, could make a mistake thinking our life was on the line, that in hindsight and after reflection is clear wasn't the case. So even if a police officer does kill someone that ends up being unarmed, before you call them an animal or a racist, try and put yourself in their position, don't imagine yourself the noble hero you wish yourself to be, but the person afraid of dark rooms and strange noises. Yes there are bad cops, but there are mostly good ones. And even the good ones, are still human. Maybe one day we will have robocops, who can always wait for the suspect to fire first, and doesn't have to fear that the next punch could be his last. A machine that can wait to be sure the person is reaching for a gun and not just something in his pocket. But for now humans are the imperfect solution. In the mean time, let's make their job easier. Follow their instructions, know your rights, don't run, don't fight, don't argue. Put your hands on the steering wheel, or your hands behind your back if they tell you. Don't make sudden movements. Plead the 5th and get a lawyer if they want to arrest you. That will be the best thing you could possibly do for yourself, innocent or guilty.

http://imgur.com/gallery/XsKhT