US Fatal Police Shooting Agency Accountability Data

Tracking details related to police-involved killings of civilians across the United States since 2015. The information is compiled through meticulous manual culling of local news reports, data collected from law enforcement websites and social media, and monitoring of various independent databases. The focus is strictly on incidents where an officer, while in the line of duty, shoots and kills a civilian. This resource excludes deaths occurring in police custody, non-shooting fatalities, and fatal incidents involving off-duty officers. To improve measuring accountability at the department level, the database was updated in 2022 to standardise and publish the names of the police agencies involved in each incident. The number of fatal shootings documented here is significantly higher than the statistics generally recorded by federal agencies.

id: A unique identification number for each entry. name: The name of the specific police agency involved, such as the U.S. Marshals Service or local police forces. type: The classification of the police agency (e.g., local_police, sheriff). state: The US state where the fatal shooting occurred. oricodes: Identification codes related to the agencies. total_shootings: The calculated number of fatal shootings associated with that particular agency.

The dataset is available in CSV format. It currently consists of 6 columns and tracking details for over 3,300 police agencies across the United States. Data is updated regularly, with an expected update frequency of monthly, as new facts emerge and fatal shootings are reported.

This data product is highly suitable for researchers, journalists, and advocacy groups interested in police reform and public safety. It is valuable for measuring accountability by agency, conducting statistical analyses of the circumstances surrounding police shootings, and tracking trends in law enforcement encounters dating back to 2015. It can also support academic studies on racial equity and social issues within the context of US law enforcement.

Geographic: Covers all police-involved killing incidents reported across the United States. Time Range: The scope begins on 1 January 2015. Scope Notes: Coverage is restricted to fatal shootings of civilians by officers operating in the line of duty.

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Academics and Researchers: For generating quantitative insights into police accountability and violence statistics. Advocacy Groups: To support policy initiatives and track the frequency and nature of fatal encounters. Media Outlets: For generating data-driven investigative reports on public safety and social issues.

Original Data Source: US Fatal Police Shooting Agency Accountability Data