Blog
Welcome to the CPE blog, where we share insights to educate, inform, and inspire those who are answering the call to fight bias and take bold action towards establishing equitable public safety systems.
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CPE and Austin Police Department Release New Research on Racial Disparities in Austin
(AUSTIN, TX) -- Today at a press conference at the Austin Police Department headquarters, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo joined Center for Policing Equity (CPE) President and Cofounder Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff and Director of Law Enforcement Engagement Chief Chris Burbank to release the findings of, "The Science of Policing Equity: Measuring…
Report: Austin Police More Likely to use Force in Communities of Color
A first-of-its kind report on practices at the Austin Police Department found that officers are more likely to use force in communities where more African-Americans and Latinos live. Until now, police use of force in the city hadn’t been quantified in a way that accounted for such factors as crime…
None Dare Call It Justice: Eighteen Examples of Racism in Criminal Legal System
Racism may well be the biggest crime in the criminal legal system. If present trends continue, 1 of every 4 African American males born this decade can expect to go to prison in his lifetime despite the fact that the Census Bureau reports that the US is 13 percent Black,…
Was Tyre King’s Shooting Justified?
On September 14, the 13-year-old Tyre King was shot and killed by a police officer, Bryan Mason, in Columbus. According to the police, Tyre was shot after running from officers who were looking into an armed robbery and pulling out a BB gun that looked similar to a real weapon.…
When Body Cameras Are Not Enough
When a Charlotte, North Carolina, police officer pumped ten bullets three years ago into Jonathan Ferrell, a black man who had been seeking help after a car accident, the city responded with a push for better training of police in tactics and racial attitudes. On went the body cameras, and…
Can 'Implicit Bias' Training Stop Police Officers From Acting on Hidden Prejudice?
A program that educates officers about subconscious stereotypes is getting traction among police departments across the nation. Hillary Clinton promoted the strategy earlier this week as a way to stop minorities from being unfairly targeted by cops — but research is still out on whether "implicit bias" training, which has…
Police Body Cameras Are Pointless Unless Cops Use Them Correctly
Officers involved in at least two controversial fatal police shootings this month failed to activate their body-worn cameras, leaving critical gaps in evidence that threaten to undermine the primary purpose of the devices. Read more here.
Listening in to Joy Reid
Joy Reid tackles the most important news and political topics of the week and, along with a rotating panel of journalists, will explore how these issues shape the country. Watch here.
Police Endorsement Of Trump Shows Black Lives Don’t Matter
Whether or not they choose to admit it, there is clearly a breakdown of trust between police and the African American community, and that distrust has spread to the rest of America. We have seen police chiefs refuse to release potentially damning videos to the public (Keith L. Scott, Tamir…
More Police Shootings Are Being Caught on Camera — but Many of Those Videos Aren’t Released to the Public
CHARLOTTE — For two nights, enraged residents here have taken to the streets in both peaceful and violent demonstrations following the fatal police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, 43. Read more here.
Police Brutality Demands Personal Response
In May 2015, only a week after I sat in my residence hall watching riots unfold on the news, I began interning at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. Riots had ignited the city of Baltimore and sparked debate across Mississippi State University’s campus over the issue…
State of Emergency Called to Quell Charlotte Unrest Over Police Shooting of Black Man
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept 22 (Reuters) - Residents of Charlotte, North Carolina, woke up to a state of emergency and the National Guard and State Highway Patrol deployed to their city on Thursday after a second night of unrest sparked by the fatal police shooting of a black man. Read more…
Dr. Goff on Charlotte, NC Police Shooting
John Jay College's Professor Phillip Atiba Goff joins Brian Williams to discuss Wednesday night's protests in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the issue of transparency and police-community relations in the event of fatal shootings such as those in Tulsa and Charlotte. View here.
Patriotism Isn't Just Standing for the Flag, but Standing for All Americans
A fiery conversation has been ignited about the decision to stand, sit or kneel during the national anthem under the waving Stars and Stripes. It seems, inevitably in these discussions, the term patriot -- or its inverse -- is invoked. Read more here.
Can Diverse Police Departments Ease Community Tension?
Normally, when the Dallas Police Department hosts its monthly testing for people interested in becoming police officers, about 70 to 80 people show up. This past weekend though, the department was expecting about 280. The larger turnout followed a call from Dallas Police Chief David Brown to join the force…
Us Justice Department Releases Damning Report into Baltimore Police
After a year long investigation, the US Justice Department has released a damning report into the Baltimore police, accusing officers of racism and routinely violating the rights of black residents. Listen here.
The New American Cop: Smarter, More Diverse, Better Equipped and Scared
On July 6, Nakia Jones, a police officer in Warrensville Heights, Ohio, was awakened by her teenage son bursting into her room, on the verge of tears. “Did you see the shooting?” he asked. The day before, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, someone had filmed two police officers tackling and then…
What We Know about Racial Bias in Police Use of Force
Police killings were the cause upon which Black Lives Matter was founded, but they’re only one part of the story of racialized police violence. Nonlethal force — things like shoving, pepper spraying, using batons and Tasers — is another item in the police arsenal, and might even be the more…
Minneapolis Police Unveil New Emphasis on De-Escalation, Community Relations
Minneapolis police are going to slow down and try to avoid potentially violent confrontations, under a series of policy initiatives unveiled at police headquarters Monday. Read more here.
Atkins: Ag Has Prescription for What Ails Police
WASHINGTON — Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who has been touring police departments nationwide looking for ways to bridge the trust gap between police and communities they’re tasked to protect, said the changes can’t come just from Justice Department enforcement efforts. Police need to start the process by being open and…
Chris Burbank - Let's Go Eat Show
On this episode we welcome back former Salt Lake City police chief Chris Burbank. Bill and Dylan talk with Mr. Burbank about what he’s been doing since resigning as SLC Chief of Police. They also discuss all the recent police violence and how we can make things better. Listen here.
Shooting Deaths of Law Enforcement Up 78% in 2016
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has found that shooting deaths of law enforcement has risen to 78% in 2016 from 2015. The majority of those officers died in “ambush-style killings.” The report runs from January to July 20 and compares the stats from the same time period last…
Be Wary Of Studies That Deny Racial Bias In Police Shootings
Charles Kinsey. Philando Castile. Alton Sterling. Delrawn Small. Michael Brown. Conflicting narratives emerged in the aftermath of these cases of unarmed black men brutalized or killed by police. Black Lives Matter alleges that police unfairly target black people with sometimes lethal force, even when they’re unarmed. Those who argue “blue lives matter” say…
Police Acts of Violence Unbiased, Controversial New Data Say
Debate over police using excessive force in black and Latino communities has been an ongoing theme in America's narrative long before this month's high-profile police shootings of two black men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. Read more here.