Challenging Police Killings Data

• In Event: Challenging the Consensus in Policing

Abstract

Widely cited datasets on police lethal force, primarily derived from media reporting, systematically omit incidents and introduce substantial bias. Comparative analysis using direct agency records shows that public datasets underestimate lethal force incidents by approximately 20–30%, particularly in smaller jurisdictions. This selective underreporting is not random but reflective of media coverage biases, skewing empirical research outcomes. Improved data collection methods are essential to accurately inform policy on police use of deadly force.

Authors

• Justin Nix, University of Nebraska Omaha

• Sadaf Hashimi, University of Nebraska Omaha

• Jordan Isaac Cline, University of Nebraska Omaha

• Colton D. Tinsley, University of Nebraska Omaha

• Loganne Ditter, University of Nebraska Omaha