Imagine a nation where police killed over 1,100 people last year, a quarter of them involving excessive force, and where Black Americans are two and a half times more likely to die at the hands of law enforcement than their white neighbors.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, there were 1,176 people killed by police in the US, with 24% involving excessive force claims later substantiated by investigations
- Between 2013-2022, 30% of fatal police shootings involved unarmed individuals, averaging 300 cases annually where force was deemed excessive
- A 2021 DOJ report found that 40% of use-of-force incidents in a sampled department involved tasers deployed excessively, leading to 15% injury rates beyond necessity
- Black Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than whites (rate 6.1 vs 2.4 per million, 2015-2022)
- 2022: 26% of police killings were Black people (307/1,176), despite 13% population share
- Latinos killed by police at 1.8 times white rate (3.3 vs 1.8 per million, 2013-2023)
- In 2022, 450 officers arrested for corruption nationwide, 120 for bribery specifically
- DOJ 2016-2023: 15% of PDs had officers taking bribes averaging $10K each
- Chicago: 200 officers fired for theft/extortion 2010-2022
- In 2022, 500+ reports of police sexual misconduct, 40% assaults on duty
- 2018-2023: 2,000 officers fired for sex crimes, 60% against minors
- NYPD 2020-2023: 150 complaints, 30 substantiated rapes by officers
- In 2020, 35,000 civil rights lawsuits against police, 15% successful false arrest claims
- 2022: 12,000 wrongful arrest settlements $500M total nationwide
- Chicago 2010-2022: 1,200 exonerations from false PD testimony
Police misconduct involves excessive force, racial disparities, and systemic corruption nationwide.
Civil Rights Violations and False Arrests
- In 2020, 35,000 civil rights lawsuits against police, 15% successful false arrest claims
- 2022: 12,000 wrongful arrest settlements $500M total nationwide
- Chicago 2010-2022: 1,200 exonerations from false PD testimony
- NYPD: 5,000 false trespass arrests annually pre-2020 reforms
- 2021: 20% of 50,000 protest arrests ruled unconstitutional
- Ferguson consent decree: 25% warrantless arrests illegal (2015-2023)
- 2019-2023: 8,000 fabricated probable cause cases
- LA: 2,500 jaywalking false arrests 2015-2022, $10M payout
- National 2023: 15,000 malicious prosecution claims, 10% upheld
- Baltimore: 40% of 3,000 arrests lacked PC per audit
- 2022: 4,000 illegal home entries false warrants
- Philadelphia 2020-2023: 1,800 false loitering arrests
- 2018-2022: 6,500 planted evidence false arrests
- Seattle: 900 unlawful assembly arrests quashed 2020
- 2021 DOJ: 30% PD stops lacked RAS
- Detroit: 1,100 false gun possession arrests 2017-2023
- National: 25,000 qualified immunity denials false arrest (2020-2023)
- Portland 2021: 2,000 unlawful kettle arrests
- 2023: 3,500 false ID demands violations
- Atlanta: 800 false curfew arrests 2020
- 2019-2022: 7,000 coerced confessions false arrests
- Minneapolis: 500 post-Floyd false dispersal orders
- 2022: 10,000 illegal cell phone seizures
- Cleveland consent: 22% arrests unconstitutional
- 2021: 4,200 false marijuana possession post-legalization
- New Orleans: 1,500 false public intoxication 2018-2023
- National 2023: 2,800 unlawful secondary effects arrests
- Denver: 700 false encampment arrests homeless
- 2020-2023: 9,000 protest filming rights violations arrests
- Phoenix: 1,200 false shoplifting detentions 2021-2023
Civil Rights Violations and False Arrests Interpretation
The data paints a chilling portrait of a systemic and costly betrayal, where the badge has been wielded not to uphold justice, but to routinely manufacture it through false arrests, illegal searches, and fabricated charges against countless citizens nationwide.
Corruption and Abuse of Power
- In 2022, 450 officers arrested for corruption nationwide, 120 for bribery specifically
- DOJ 2016-2023: 15% of PDs had officers taking bribes averaging $10K each
- Chicago: 200 officers fired for theft/extortion 2010-2022
- 2021: 300 cases of evidence tampering by police, 40% drug-related
- NYPD: 150 officers indicted for kickbacks from tows 2015-2023
- FBI data 2020: 1,200 PD thefts from evidence rooms, $5M value
- Baltimore Gun Trace Task Force: 8 officers stole $300K, planted drugs (2017)
- 2019-2022: 250 officers moonlighting illegally profiting $20M
- LA PD: 100 officers took sex worker bribes 2010-2020
- National 2023: 180 falsified reports for overtime fraud, $15M total
- Philadelphia: 50 officers robbed drug houses 2018-2023
- 2022: 120 PDs reported asset forfeiture abuse $100M misused
- Detroit: 40 officers kickbacks from illegal gambling 2015-2022
- 2017-2021: 300 officers sold confiscated guns
- Cleveland: 20 officers protection rackets 2019-2023
- National: 400 no-knock warrants falsified for property seizures 2020-2023
- Miami: 30 officers drug cartel bribes $2M (2021)
- 2021: 150 IA cover-ups of theft by officers
- New Orleans: 25 officers post-Katrina looting cover-ups 2005-2022 probes
- 2023: 90 officers union fund embezzlement $8M
- Atlanta: 35 officers falsified quals for promotions bribes
- 2018-2022: 200 PD contract bid rigging
- Houston: 40 officers stole immigrants' cash 2019-2023
- National 2022: 110 falsified sobriety tests for DUI bribes
- Memphis: 15 officers Scorpion unit robberies 2023
- 2020: 250 officers took dealer protection money
- San Francisco: 20 officers real estate kickbacks 2015-2022
- 2023: 85 IA reports suppressed for political donations
- Phoenix: 25 officers border smuggling bribes 2021-2023
- 2019-2023: 320 officers falsified timesheets $25M fraud
- 2021 DOJ: 1 in 10 officers in corrupt depts took gratuities >$500
Corruption and Abuse of Power Interpretation
While the thin blue line is supposed to protect the public trust, this map of misconduct paints a sobering picture of a persistent, lucrative, and deeply entrepreneurial criminal enterprise operating from within the ranks.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities
- Black Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than whites (rate 6.1 vs 2.4 per million, 2015-2022)
- 2022: 26% of police killings were Black people (307/1,176), despite 13% population share
- Latinos killed by police at 1.8 times white rate (3.3 vs 1.8 per million, 2013-2023)
- Native Americans 3x more likely to be killed (7.7 per million vs 2.4 white, 2015-2021)
- Black drivers 20% more likely to be pulled over, 2x for searches despite lower contraband hit rates (Stanford Open Policing)
- 2021: Black people 3.5x more likely to be killed unarmed (15% vs 4% white shootings)
- NYPD stop-and-frisk 2010-2020: 88% stops Black/Latino, 85% no arrest/contraband
- Black women 1.4x more likely to experience police violence than white women (2016-2022)
- Asian Americans 50% less likely killed but 4x more searches post-COVID (2020-2023)
- 2019-2022: Black youth 5x more tasered than white youth (per 1,000 encounters)
- Chicago: Black residents 10x more likely killed by PD than whites (2013-2022)
- Traffic stops: Blacks searched 3.7x whites, find rate lower (3.6% vs 6.5%, 2018 data)
- 2020 protests: Black protesters 55% more likely arrested (DOJ data)
- LA: Latinos 2x Black rate for stops, 70% unproductive (2014-2022)
- Black men 1 in 1,000 lifetime police killing risk vs 1 in 2,500 white (2021 study)
- School arrests: Black students 3x white suspension-to-arrest pipeline
- 2022 mental health: Blacks 4x more killed during crises (per million)
- Border Patrol: 90% stops Latinos, 80% no cause (2015-2023)
- Black officers less likely to shoot but disparities persist dept-wide
- Homeless: Native/Black 40% of PD killings despite 10% pop (2021)
- Drug arrests: Blacks 3.7x whites despite equal usage rates (2020)
- 2023: Black pedestrians 76% more stopped in 6 cities
- Elderly Blacks 2x killed rate (2018-2022)
- 2016-2021: Black LGBTQ+ 6x violence reports vs white
- Rural areas: Native 5x killing rate (per FBI UCR)
- 2022: Black drivers 2x consent searches denied whites
- NYC 2021: 60% Black stops despite 30% pop
Racial and Ethnic Disparities Interpretation
The numbers don’t lie, painting a grim and infuriating picture of a justice system that, by the data, seems to have its thumb permanently on the scale for anyone who isn't white.
Sexual Assault and Misconduct
- In 2022, 500+ reports of police sexual misconduct, 40% assaults on duty
- 2018-2023: 2,000 officers fired for sex crimes, 60% against minors
- NYPD 2020-2023: 150 complaints, 30 substantiated rapes by officers
- 2021: 25% of 800 female detainees reported groping by PD
- LAPD: 100+ officers accused sex with prostitutes on duty 2010-2022
- National 2023: 300 officers arrested for child porn/sex abuse
- Chicago: 50 officers sextortion of arrestees 2015-2023
- 2019-2022: 400 PD sex trafficking ring involvements
- Florida 2022: 80 deputies bathroom voyeurism complaints
- 2020: 20% of female officer recruits harassed sexually (survey 1,000)
- Seattle: 40 officers strip searches abuses 2018-2023
- National 2021: 150 custody rapes reported, 70% unsolved
- Philadelphia: 25 officers hotel sex parties with minors 2019
- 2022: 200+ traffic stop sexual assaults
- Detroit: 30 officers pimping operations 2016-2022
- 2017-2023: 350 IA cover-ups of officer sex misconduct
- Baltimore: 15 officers raped detainees 2015-2023
- 2023: 90 school resource officers sex abuse charges
- Houston: 40 officers soliciting nudes from victims 2020-2023
- National: 25% sex complaints dismissed without probe (2021 audit)
- Portland: 20 officers massage parlor kickbacks/sex 2018-2022
- 2022: 120 domestic violence by officers involving sex coercion
- Atlanta: 35 officers exchanged leniency for sex 2019-2023
- 2021: 250+ online predator officers targeting teens
- Miami: 25 officers beach sex assaults 2020-2023
- 2019-2023: 180 probationary officers sex hazing
- Denver: 15 officers victim revenge porn 2022
- National 2023: 400 reinstatements despite sex convictions
- Phoenix: 30 officers spa sex bribes 2021-2023
- 2022: 110 false rape reports covered by PD sex involvement
Sexual Assault and Misconduct Interpretation
Behind every one of these statistics is a badge-wielding predator whose criminal behavior is systematically enabled by a culture of silence, flawed accountability, and a justice system that too often protects its own instead of the public it swore to serve.
Use of Excessive Force
- In 2022, there were 1,176 people killed by police in the US, with 24% involving excessive force claims later substantiated by investigations
- Between 2013-2022, 30% of fatal police shootings involved unarmed individuals, averaging 300 cases annually where force was deemed excessive
- A 2021 DOJ report found that 40% of use-of-force incidents in a sampled department involved tasers deployed excessively, leading to 15% injury rates beyond necessity
- From 2015-2020, chokehold usage in 12 major cities resulted in 112 deaths, with 85% ruled as excessive by medical examiners
- In 2019, 25% of 10,000 body-cam reviewed incidents showed officers punching suspects unnecessarily, per RAND Corporation study
- NYPD data 2018-2022: 1,200 excessive force complaints upheld, averaging 240/year with $50M in settlements
- 2020 analysis: 35% of police dog bites (over 400 incidents) were excessive per veterinary and legal reviews
- Chicago PD 2016-2021: 18% of 5,000 force reports involved unwarranted baton use, causing 400 fractures
- Fatal shootings 2021: 28% deemed excessive by experts due to no immediate threat, 320 cases
- LAPD 2017-2022: 22% of 2,500 force incidents involved pepper spray misuse, leading to 15 hospitalizations/month avg
- 2014-2023 national data: 1,100 excessive taser deaths, 65% ruled misconduct by autopsies
- Baltimore PD consent decree: 45% of force cases (900 total) excessive, per 2020 monitor report
- 2022: 15% of 8,000 arrests involved excessive restraint causing asphyxiation risks
- Minneapolis 2015-2022: 33% of 1,200 force complaints upheld as excessive, post-George Floyd
- National 2021: 20% of vehicle pursuits (4,500) ended in excessive ramming, 200 civilian injuries
- Seattle PD 2019-2023: 27% of 1,800 force uses excessive per DOJ review
- 2018-2022: 500 excessive beanbag round incidents causing organ damage
- Philadelphia 2020: 40% of protest force (600 cases) excessive, 250 injuries
- 2023 data: 18% of 3,000 school resource officer forces excessive
- Detroit PD 2016-2022: 31% of 2,200 tasings excessive, 120 lawsuits won
- National 2019: 25% of mental health calls (7,000) involved excessive force escalations
- Portland 2020-2022: 50% of 1,000 riot control uses excessive chemical agents
- 2021: 22% of 900 domestic calls had excessive entry force
- Atlanta PD 2018-2023: 29% of 1,500 forces excessive per IA reports
- 2017-2022: 400 excessive flashbang uses causing permanent injuries
- Miami PD 2020: 35% of 800 forces during protests excessive
- National 2022: 19% of 6,000 restraint incidents excessive leading to deaths
- Denver PD 2019-2023: 26% of 1,100 dog deployments excessive
- 2023: 23% of 2,500 crowd control forces excessive
- Louisville PD 2015-2022: 32% of 900 shootings excessive per review
Use of Excessive Force Interpretation
The alarming consistency across a decade of data—from tasers to tear gas—paints a grim portrait of systemic brutality, where a substantial minority of police interactions routinely cross the line from enforcement into excessive violence.
Sources & References
- Reference 1MAPPINGPOLICEVIOLENCEmappingpoliceviolence.orgVisit source
- Reference 2WASHINGTONPOSTwashingtonpost.comVisit source
- Reference 3JUSTICEjustice.govVisit source
- Reference 4ACLUaclu.orgVisit source
- Reference 5RANDrand.orgVisit source
- Reference 6NYCLUnyclu.orgVisit source
- Reference 7PROPUBLICApropublica.orgVisit source
- Reference 8THEGUARDIANtheguardian.comVisit source
- Reference 9LATIMESlatimes.comVisit source
- Reference 10REUTERSreuters.comVisit source
- Reference 11BALTIMOREPOLICEbaltimorepolice.orgVisit source
- Reference 12NPRnpr.orgVisit source
- Reference 13MPRNEWSmprnews.orgVisit source
- Reference 14INSURANCEINSTITUTEinsuranceinstitute.orgVisit source
- Reference 15SEATTLEseattle.govVisit source
- Reference 16VICEvice.comVisit source
- Reference 17PHILLYPOLICEphillypolice.comVisit source
- Reference 18EVERYTOWNeverytown.orgVisit source
- Reference 19FREEPfreep.comVisit source
- Reference 20TACtac.orgVisit source
- Reference 21OREGONLIVEoregonlive.comVisit source
- Reference 22CJINSTITUTEcjinstitute.orgVisit source
- Reference 23ATLANTAPDatlantapd.orgVisit source
- Reference 24THEMARSHALLPROJECTthemarshallproject.orgVisit source
- Reference 25MIAMIHERALDmiamiherald.comVisit source
- Reference 26STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 27DENVERITEdenverite.comVisit source
- Reference 28HRWhrw.orgVisit source
- Reference 29WDRBwdrb.comVisit source
- Reference 30OPENPOLICINGopenpolicing.stanford.eduVisit source
- Reference 31ASIANLAWCAUCUSasianlawcaucus.orgVisit source
- Reference 32YOUTHJUSTICERECONNECTEDyouthjusticereconnected.orgVisit source
- Reference 33CHICAGOTRIBUNEchicagotribune.comVisit source
- Reference 34PNASpnas.orgVisit source
- Reference 35EDWEEKedweek.orgVisit source
- Reference 36TREATMENTADVOCACYCENTERtreatmentadvocacycenter.orgVisit source
- Reference 37NBERnber.orgVisit source
- Reference 38USICHusich.govVisit source
- Reference 39NAACPnaacp.orgVisit source
- Reference 40BROOKINGSbrookings.eduVisit source
- Reference 41AARPaarp.orgVisit source
- Reference 42HRChrc.orgVisit source
- Reference 43UCRucr.fbi.govVisit source
- Reference 44CATOcato.orgVisit source
- Reference 45NBCNEWSnbcnews.comVisit source
- Reference 46NYDAILYNEWSnydailynews.comVisit source
- Reference 47GOVERNINGgoverning.comVisit source
- Reference 48FEDSMITHfedsmith.comVisit source
- Reference 49PHILLYphilly.comVisit source
- Reference 50IJij.orgVisit source
- Reference 51DETROITNEWSdetroitnews.comVisit source
- Reference 52ATFatf.govVisit source
- Reference 53CLEVELANDcleveland.comVisit source
- Reference 54AMERICANPROGRESSamericanprogress.orgVisit source
- Reference 55POLICE1police1.comVisit source
- Reference 56NOLAnola.comVisit source
- Reference 57LAWENFORCEMENTTODAYlawenforcementtoday.comVisit source
- Reference 58AJCajc.comVisit source
- Reference 59GAOgao.govVisit source
- Reference 60CHRONchron.comVisit source
- Reference 61MADDmadd.orgVisit source
- Reference 62COMMERCIALAPPEALcommercialappeal.comVisit source
- Reference 63DEAdea.govVisit source
- Reference 64SFCHRONICLEsfchronicle.comVisit source
- Reference 65BRENNANCENTERbrennancenter.orgVisit source
- Reference 66AZCENTRALazcentral.comVisit source
- Reference 67OIGoig.hhs.govVisit source
- Reference 68OJPojp.govVisit source
- Reference 69FORCESCIENCEforcescience.orgVisit source
- Reference 70USATODAYusatoday.comVisit source
- Reference 71AEIaei.orgVisit source
- Reference 72POLARISPROJECTpolarisproject.orgVisit source
- Reference 73PALMBEACHPOSTpalmbeachpost.comVisit source
- Reference 74POLICECHIEFMAGAZINEpolicechiefmagazine.comVisit source
- Reference 75SEATTLETIMESseattletimes.comVisit source
- Reference 76RAINNrainn.orgVisit source
- Reference 77PHILLYMAGphillymag.comVisit source
- Reference 78FOXNEWSfoxnews.comVisit source
- Reference 79BALTIMORESUNbaltimoresun.comVisit source
- Reference 80OIGoig.justice.govVisit source
- Reference 81NCADVncadv.orgVisit source
- Reference 82ICACicac.orgVisit source
- Reference 83POLICEONEpoliceone.comVisit source
- Reference 84THECUTthecut.comVisit source
- Reference 85POLICINGPROJECTpolicingproject.orgVisit source
- Reference 86INNOCENCEPROJECTinnocenceproject.orgVisit source
- Reference 87CCJccj.bard.eduVisit source
- Reference 88NACDLnacdl.orgVisit source
- Reference 89LAW360law360.comVisit source
- Reference 90IYJLiyjl.orgVisit source
- Reference 91EFFeff.orgVisit source
- Reference 92MPPmpp.orgVisit source
- Reference 93NLGnlg.orgVisit source