US police killed a record number of people in 2023 ( thehill.com )

  • In 2023, police in the U.S. Killed over 1,300 people, marking a steady increase in police killings, as reported by Mapping Police Violence.
  • There were only 14 days without a police killing, and on average, a person was killed by law enforcement every 6.6 hours.
  • While the number of people killed by gunfire and officers killed in the line of duty declined, this data highlights the need for significant changes in policing in the country.
rivermonster OP ,

Works the same on the federal level, too. Here is an oldie but goodie from 2013:

https://archive.ph/4ViCl

Bluefalcon , (edited )

Remember it is only considered a police killing if the cop is directly responsible and it's not an open case. Most of the numbers we get are very low.

dangblingus ,

The police are agents of the state. They exist to protect capital owner's interests. They will kill you if they think you threaten the ruling class' bag in any way. They are not obligated to protect you or your family and will shoot through you and your baby to get someone behind you that is holding a toy car.

rivermonster OP ,

Upvoted for FACT.

ExLisper ,

It's not just the killings, the entire system is completely fucked up. Bail system, warrants, jails, plea deals, public defenders, judges, expert witnesses... absolutely everything is just wrong.

Red_October ,

We oughtta point out to them that "Woo! High Score!" is inappropriate.

blanketswithsmallpox ,

The Mapping Police Violence project, which has been tracking police killings in the country since 2013, reported that officers killed 1,329 people last year, representing nearly a 19-percent increase over the 11-year span.

The Gun Violence Archive, which tracks shootings throughout the U.S., reported that 2023 saw a decrease in shooting deaths overall. More than 800 suspects were injured in officer involved shootings last year, according to the organization.

So shooting deaths across the board both police and civilian have increased since COVID 'ended'. Blame the full moon. 🌝

wildcardology ,

I'm assuming most of the victims are unarmed. US police don't like to shoot people that shoot back.

licherally ,

Probably not, but it's kind of irrelevant either way. The real issue is the lack of functional de-escalation training and the incredibly low standards that need to be passed to be a cop (6 months or less of fuck all training, mostly only in offensive techniques.)

Fedizen ,

its also just the sheer number of problems police are expected to solve but all the training is how to shoot and handcuff people. The actual roles of police need to be split between several groups- you don't need guns to write parking tickets, answer mental health calls and direct traffic. You don't need patrol cars to have neighborhood peace keeping. Like the US needs to narrow what policing is and systematically reform the way policing is done.

ExLisper ,

I took a closer look at a long list of police shootings some time ago and it looked like 50/50 between cops just shooting someone in the back and shooting back at someone trying to kill them.

JoYo ,
@JoYo@lemmy.ml avatar

what number would be acceptable?

jaschen ,

None please.

lntl ,

USA! USA! USA!

TheJims ,

We’re Number One!!!
Pew Pew

Mr_Blott ,

I looked it up, you can't even win at that. Venezuela wiped the floor with your stats 😂

ratcliff ,
@ratcliff@lemmy.wtf avatar

This is disgusting

thefartographer ,

Lemme make sure I get the facts straight:

  • Police are killing people in increasing numbers
  • Police are killing police in fewer numbers
  • Police receive indoctrinating training which teaches them that they are a supreme individual entity while civilians are dangerous and the "other"
  • Police are easily identified by their shield (badge) and their weapons, all of which are required as part of their duty within the police
  • Police officers' strongest weapon is their union
  • Police frequently and harshly punish civilians for their "resistance"

Regarding the first two points: the most efficient way, in our federation, to avoid being killed or brutalized by the police is to join them?

TIL Police are the Borg.

Paddzr ,

Imagine if we all had a union like that!

Klear ,

Gotta take down the Police Queen then.

SeaJ ,

2023 had the lowest violent crime rate in like 50 years.

Zorque ,

I assume cause they're not counting all police related shootings.

phoneymouse ,

Police are killing more people as violent crime goes down

agitatedpotato ,

Annually they kill more people than mass shooters and steal more than burglars though 'asset forfeiture', they also have no duty to protect you if bodily harm could possibly come to them. Weakest most scared people in America by a country mile. Getting rid of police would end more crime than the cops end.

dual_sport_dork ,
@dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world avatar

That, and all the gun control restrictions constantly being floated are meaningless when the police have an exception carved out for themselves every. single. fucking. time.

If 10+ round magazines, full autos, SBR's, AR-15's, switchblades, etc., etc., etc. are supposed to be this big problem, I have never once had anyone be able to answer be constructively on why the police need these things when regular people don't.

andyburke ,
@andyburke@fedia.io avatar

Because they don't and it has become a gang.

I was one of those people that thought maybe it was good people in a bad system, but now I'm convinced too few actual good people want to go into policing to keep the corruption out.

I'm not sure how we fix it. Probably needs to be set up more like the military with civilian leadership and oversight.

RunawayFixer ,

Good people do want to go into policing, but the bad people don't want them in their gang, because decent people are a threat to their way of operating and might land them in prison.

If a group of people is too rotten, then it just perpetuates itself. People that are too smart or have too many principles, won't even get a chance of joining. People who have started on the job will soon be presented with a moral dilemma, if they make the wrong choice, then the rotten group will start bullying them to force them out.

If it gets to the point that acab is true, then a clean start is the only fast way. Hire outside mercenaries to temporarily take over police tasks and start a new police force from scratch, with better rules, regulations and indepedent oversight. And without allowing the old cops to rejoin, unless it's in specialized technical roles.

chiliedogg ,

First thing they need is rules of engagement.

Soldiers sent into combat zones interacting with armed enemy militaries don't get to shoot people just because they feel nervous.

tired_n_bored ,

Other countries need a police diploma equivalent to a bachelor's degree, or higher. Background check, psychological check, more oversight by people and by federals would also help.

tacosanonymous ,

Overall, crime is down. It feels like should lead to less extrajudicial killings.

When can we get some fucking police reform?

Masterblaster ,

here's the spoiler: meaningful legislation for literally anything will never come until the tug of war between right and left is settled.

rivermonster OP ,

Correction, until we have a tug from the right. There's just the current tug between center-right dems and fascist, racist GOP. Both capitalist parties, thereby both requiring a fascist force.

grue ,

Republicans are the ratchet; Democrats are the pawl.

rivermonster OP ,

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/1db8c9d7-a08a-4c64-bf12-77273d098d33.jpeg

FlyingSquid ,
@FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

The nation's legal street gang.

  • All
  • Subscribed
  • Moderated
  • Favorites
  • •
  • random
  • news@lemmy.world
  • test
  • worldmews
  • mews
  • All magazines
    •