I was checking the web for data on police shootings when I found this Infographic. It is a remarkable compilation of data, fully referenced. This is a small segment. The full Infographic is below the squiggle. PLUS there is additional data from a national survey the DOJ did in 2000 on "Police Attitudes on Abuse of Authority." The findings are stunning.
Here is the complete Infographic. Don't forget to check out the selected findings from the DOJ poll which follow the Infographic.
(By following the live link in the caption above, you can get to live links for each of the sources referenced in the Infographic.)
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In 2000, The National Institute of Justice of the DOJ surveyed close to 1000 police officers to assess Police Attitudes Toward Abuse of Authority: Findings From a National Study [pdf] link: http://1.usa.gov/...
Key issues: Unlike previous studies on the abuse of police authority, this survey provides a nationwide portrait of how police officers view this critical issue. The 92-question survey assessed American police officers’ views on a number of important issues relating to the abuse of police authority in the United States.
The findings of the survey provide a candid view of how the police operate, including the surprising extent to which they have observed other officers or have themselves stretched the limits of what even they consider to be 'within bounds.' Below are selected tables from the 15-page report.
A full 43% of police officers in 2000 felt that following 'the rules' was not compatible with 'getting the job done.' Whew.
DOJ/NIJ (2000): Police Attitudes Toward Abuse of Authority: Findings From a National Study [pdf]
http://1.usa.gov/...
Only 16% of police officers "never" use more than the force "necessary." Although most use excess force "seldom," more that 20% use excess force routinely. It's clear as well that verbally abusing a police officer is not a good idea, since almost 70% of officers will increase the amount of force exerted when verbally challenged.
About two-thirds say there is pressure to 'turn a blind eye' to abuses by other police officers to avoid getting 'the cold shoulder.' About 60% say that "serious criminal violations involving abuse of authority" by police officers go unreported! This is huge. — Welcome to Ferguson?
Black officers are much more likely than white officers (by 30 to 40%) to say that whites are treated better than blacks by police. Who do you think is being more candid?
Many police officers feel that "community policing" and citizen review boards can help decrease the level of abusive behavior by police officers, but black officers are more likely to think so.
The conclusions of the report are hardly sanguine:
[T]he survey suggests that police abuse remains a problem that needs to be addressed by policymakers and police professionals. Even though most police officers disapprove of the use of excessive force, a substantial minority consider it acceptable to sometimes use more force than permitted by the laws that govern them. The code of silence also remains a troubling issue for American police, with approximately one-quarter of police officers surveyed stating that whistle blowing is not worth it, two-thirds reporting that police officers who report misconduct are likely to receive a “cold shoulder” from fellow officers, and more than one-half reporting that it is not unusual for police officers to turn a “blind eye” to improper conduct by other officers. These findings suggest that the culture of silence that has continually plagued the reform of American policing continues.
The survey, as I mentioned, was done in 2000. I can only say I am very glad someone of the caliber of Eric Holder is now Attorney General. I will never quite see the friendly neighborhood policeman the same way again...