Analyzing Police Deadly Use of Force: A Statistical Case Study on Officer-Involved Shooting in California

Abstract

This statistical case study described factors contributing to officers' controversies in using deadly force. The use of force is justified to preserve human life. Officers may use deadly force only that is objectively reasonable to effectively gain control of an incident while protecting the safety of the officer and others. This case study examines police officers' use of deadly force in California. It provides findings from an analysis and systematic review of the police use of deadly force statistics between 2018-2023. The study aims to investigate the number of incidents in California and compile police-civilian deadly force encounters. The data were collected from the California Attorney General's Office, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, and the California Police Scorecard. The investigators attempt to identify the impact factors, how departments and officers can minimize the liability placed on them, and the risk to the officer's safety during a violent encounter. The study recommends that states not limit access to their existing deadly force databases and their implications for use-of-force research. Transparency would provide a better understanding of the number of times officers discharge their firearms and minimize the impact of other limitations that characterize current deadly force databases.