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2018 Annual Report

Statistical Review of NOPD's Use of Force

Section VIII: INDIVIDUALS SUBJECTED TO NOPD FORCE

Use of Force by Individual Gender and Race

  • Black men were approximately 6 times more likely to have UOF used against them than all other males.
  • Black females had 4 times more force used against them than all other women combined.
Female Individual UOF by Type and Race
Male Individual UOF by Type and Race

Use of Force by Individual Gender and Race

  • Baton/pr-24 (strikes), defense tech/take-down, L2-taser, and take-down (w/ injury) were used exclusively on black females. Canine (no bite) was used exclusively on white women.
  • While white males made up all L4-taser UOF, black males experienced nearly all other UOF at the highest rates across all force levels.
  • Therefore, UOF by type and race is strikingly similar to 2017, however firearm exhibition has decreased significantly overall.

Varying Details About Force Used on Individuals

In the following sections, we highlight the amount of force used against black people in New Orleans. Much of our analysis shows that black people (excluding other people of color) in New Orleans experience, by a large margin, the majority of force used by the NOPD. Therefore, it is clearest to present findings in only two race-based categories: black people, and non-black people (Native American, White, Hispanic, Asian, and all other races) than it would be to give data for each individual race.

It should be noted that black people + non-black people is always equal to 100%. When reading a graph that shows what percentage of force is used against black people, the reader may calculate the amount of force used against non-black people by subtracting from 100%.

RACE OF INDIVIDUAL BY MONTH
FIGURE 27: UOF AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE
Race disparities by district

Note: Currently missing OPSO data required to show arrests.

  • Stops & searches, as well as UOF, disproportionately negatively impact Black people. Other departments analyzed, such as the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington DC) and Chicago Police Department, suggest that increased community policing and increased and improved officer training could begin to remedy disparities in the policing of Black people.
  • These results are consistent with 2017 where force is used disproportionately against Black people in nearly every month and district.
Recommendation

OIPM recommends that NOPD train all police officers on implicit bias and anti- oppression. That would be two concrete steps toward addressing the over-policing of Black people in New Orleans.

NOPD Response to the Recommendation

NOPD officers receive a minimum of four hours of training annually on bias-free policing, which includes implicit bias. Principles of community-oriented policing are infused throughout courses in both the Academy and officers’ required annual Core In- Service training.

OIPM is pleased to report on the training that is already in place at NOPD. However, because the training does not appear to have the anti-oppression component that OIPM is recommending, OIPM will attend the current training to see if there are any further recommendations that can be made. OIPM will report out on its findings in its 2019 Annual Report or sooner.