Accurate stat? -- 1 in 13 shooting deaths are by police

[highnote]

Is this stat accurate -- 1 in 13 shooting deaths in the U.S. are done by the police?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/06/01/police-commit-1-in-13-gun-deaths-in-the-u-s/

[thaskalos]

Is this stat accurate -- 1 in 13 shooting deaths in the U.S. are done by the police?

Is that all?

[fast4522]

I do not get all the hate for the cops around here, it is not like you can call ghost busters every time someone is a nuisance.

[classhandicapper]

I do not get all the hate for the cops around here,

The left dominates the media and pretty much hates the police/military.

[thaskalos]

I do not get all the hate for the cops around here, it is not like you can call ghost busters every time someone is a nuisance.

We have certain freedoms in this country, one of which is the right to dislike whomever we want.

[fast4522]

I never said you didn't, you know your doorstep better than the next guy right?
Good luck to ya.

[highnote]

Does anyone think that stat is accurate?

It seems high to me, but maybe that's because I have never seen it before.

[PaceAdvantage]

Police as a group have the highest rate of gun "ownership"...so why is this any surprise?

They're supposed to shoot criminals who are threatening them or others with bodily harm...and since a lot of criminals threaten others with bodily harm, again, should this be a surprise to anyone?

This stat doesn't surprise me...it seems pretty reasonable.

I would HOPE police account for a significant percentage of shooting deaths...if not, then capital crime is more out of control than I would have thought.

But then again, after writing that, perhaps capital crime IS more out of control than I think...because 8 percent is a pretty LOW number when you think about it...but then again, there are a LOT MORE criminals then there are cops.

But we're not talking about the population of cops versus the population of criminals.

We're talking about the population of SHOOTING DEATHS.

[highnote]

Police as a group have the highest rate of gun "ownership"...so why is this any surprise?



Good point. That's why I asked the question. The article didn't mention the police gun ownership statistic.

Of course, this would also explain why there are very few police shooting deaths in England where the police don't carry guns.

Not that having police carrying a gun is a good or bad thing.

I suppose an analogy might be that people are more likely to use a car if they have a driver's license and a car.

If people carry side arms, chances are they will use them more than if they don't carry them.

Perhaps in a dangerous society police are more likely to carry side arms and therefore more likely to use them?

[PaceAdvantage]

When I write "ownership," I wasn't writing about cops as private citizens. I meant more that they are required to carry while on the job...meaning, everyone has one.

[JustRalph]

The only stat that matters is "good" vs "bad" shoots

You notice nobody like Sharpton brings those numbers up. The last time I read about those numbers it was 97% good.

[horses4courses]

When I write "ownership," I wasn't writing about cops as private citizens. I meant more that they are required to carry while on the job...meaning, everyone has one.

I can't imagine cops not owning guns as private citizens.
As things stand in this country, it's not surprising.

[highnote]

When I write "ownership," I wasn't writing about cops as private citizens. I meant more that they are required to carry while on the job...meaning, everyone has one.

I knew what you meant.