Center for Policing Equity Releases Analysis of Norman Police Department Use of Force Data

December 07 2021

Today, the Center for Policing Equity (CPE) and the Norman Police Department (NPD) released an assessment on the department’s use of force from 2016 through June 2020. The assessment identifies racial disparities in police interactions with the community and provides areas for further investigation that NPD can use to address any identified disparities.

The assessment and policing data are housed within CPE’s Justice Navigator, an interactive digital platform that provides communities and law enforcement agencies with streamlined access to public safety analyses, policy insights, and community resources. Policing data are analyzed in the Justice Navigator and the assessments that CPE produces are made available to the public. 

Key findings from the assessment  include: 

  • NPD recorded 267 use of force incidents between 2016 and June 2020. The highest number of incidents - 65 incidents - was recorded in 2019.
  • White people experienced 71 percent of all use of force incidents and account for 72 percent of Norman’s population.
  • Black people experienced 17 percent of all use of force incidents and account for 4.7 percent of Norman’s population.
  • Latinx people experienced 3.4 percent of all use of force incidents and account for 8 percent of Norman’s population.
  • Native people experienced 4.1 percent of all use of force incidents and account for 3.6 percent of Norman’s population.
  • Black people were subjected to force 3.4 times as often as White people. This statistic accounts for the influence of different crime rates, poverty levels, and percent of Black residents in neighborhoods. 

“Identifying racial biases is the first step in creating an equitable, fair, and just public safety system,” said Dr. Tracie Keesee, Co-founder and Senior Vice President of Social Justice Initiatives at CPE. “We look forward to supporting the Norman community and NPD as they continue their work to keep their most vulnerable communities safe.”

The Justice Navigator assessment can be found here. Join us on Tuesday, December 14 at 5:30 PM, Central Time (CT), when CPE will present key findings from the assessment. A livestream of the event can be viewed here on the day. 

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About Center for Policing Equity: As a research and action organization, Center for Policing Equity (CPE) produces analyses identifying and reducing the causes of racial disparities in law enforcement. Using evidence-based approaches to social justice, we use data to create levers for social, cultural and policy change. Center for Policing Equity also holds a 501(c)3 status.