Police in the US Kill Citizens at Over 70 Times the Rate of Other First-World Nations

[TheDeuce]

Let’s look at our immediate neighbors to the north, Canada. The total number of citizens killed by law enforcement officers in the year 2014, was 14; that is 78 times less people than the US.

 

If we look at the United Kingdom, 1 person was killed by police in 2014 and 0 in 2013. English police reportedly fired guns a total of three times in all of 2013, with zero reported fatalities.

 

From 2010 through 2014, there were four fatal police shootings in England, which has a population of about 52 million. By contrast, Albuquerque, N.M., with a population 1 percent the size of England’s, had 26 fatal police shootings in that same time period.

 

China, whose population is 4 and 1/2 times the size of the United States, recorded 12 killings by law enforcement officers in 2014.

 

It doesn’t stop there.

 

From 2013-2014, German police killed absolutely no one.

 

Read more at Police in the US Kill Citizens at Over 70 Times the Rate of Other First-World Nations | The Free Thought Project

[TheDeuce]

What is going on in our country (both law enforcement and civilian) that makes the numbers disturbingly greater than other countries?

[lawildcat]

More access to guns - total guess, btw.

[TheDeuce]

More access to guns - total guess, btw.

 

Agreed, I'd say that definitely has something to do with it.

[Irish Cat]

That is a little misleading considering that Canada has about 1/10th the population of the United States. Granted if the 78x number is accurate than the rate is still greater per capita than in the US, but considerably less.

[TheDeuce]

That is a little misleading considering that Canada has about 1/10th the population of the United States. Granted if the 78x number is accurate than the rate is still greater per capita than in the US, but considerably less.

 

Fair enough.

 

What about China?

[Jim Schue]

Fair enough.

 

What about China?

 

Tough to take China's numbers seriously on any kind of state v. the people situation.

[littleluck55]

What are the murder rates in these countries? I would say there are many things that go into this number. Private ownership of guns is one I would start with. I would say most these countries don't have a the mass slayings like at Columbine, etc. also.

[LIPTON BASH]

Fair enough.

 

What about China?

 

I'm with you on the rest of the stats. Don't bring up China I don't belive any Stat that comes out of that country.

[theguru]

Fair enough.

 

What about China?

 

I am guessing in most, if not all, of these countries the police are more respected (or feared) and the citizens of those countries cooperate with the police at unprecedented levels compared to what American citizens do.

[Irish Cat]

Fair enough.

 

What about China?

 

The artilce that you posted contains the following link to support their data on police killings in China.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_killings_by_law_enforcement_officers_in_China

 

The following is the the first line from the webpage.

This article is a list of killings by law enforcement officers in the People's Republic of China, including the regions of Hong Kong and Macau. It is an incomplete list.

 

It makes me wonder just how incomplete the list actually is. It's not like China is a country that is know for putting the truth about everything out there.

 

Besides given China's practice of the government having forced abortions and involuntary sterilizations, it's not exactly the poster child for human rights.

[LIPTON BASH]

I am guessing in most, if not all, of these countries the police are more respected (or feared) and the citizens of those countries cooperate with the police at unprecedented levels compared to what American citizens do.

 

In some of these countries they use their version of the Billy club a lot more freely. Roughing up isn't as big of deal.

 

I remember in college visiting Windsor and being told in Canada cops go by the motto guilty until proven innocent and it's common for them to teach a drunk American student a "lesson".

[TheDeuce]

I am guessing in most, if not all, of these countries the police are more respected (or feared) and the citizens of those countries cooperate with the police at unprecedented levels compared to what American citizens do.

 

Why do you think that is?

[theguru]

Why do you think that is?

 

Various factors with fault on both sides (government and citizens) here in America but the bottom line in America still is don't commit any crimes and cooperate with the police (even if that cooperation is no more than not being a threat and exercising your right to remain silent) and 99% of these issues/problems will go away over night.

[TheDeuce]

Various factors with fault on both sides (government and citizens) here in America but the bottom line in America still is don't commit any crimes and cooperate with the police (even if that cooperation is no more than not being a threat and exercising your right to remain silent) and 99% of these issues/problems will go away over night.

 

First, I agree 100% that full cooperation solves a lot of the problem. But not all of it.

 

We've heard here "Police can't be perfect, people make mistakes." So I'd assume we'd use that same logic towards citizens. People are going to commit crimes, and not all of those people are going to cooperate. Do those people get the same benefit of the doubt that LE gets when excessive force is used? Is non-cooperation an automatic green light for lethal force?