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Leadership Matters: Police Chief Race and Fatal Shootings by Police Officers

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  • Stephen Wu

Abstract

Objective This study analyzes the relationship between the race of a city's police chief and the incidence of fatal shootings by police officers. Methods The Washington Post's “Fatal Force Database” is used to calculate per‐capita rates of fatal shootings by police officers occurring between January 1, 2015 and June 1, 2020 for the 100 largest cities in the United States. I compare fatal shooting rates for cities with police chiefs of different races, both unadjusted and adjusted for differences in city characteristics. Results Rates of fatal shootings by officers are almost 50 percent higher in cities with police forces led by white police chiefs than in cities with black police chiefs. Of the 30 cities with the highest rates of fatal shootings, 23 have police departments led by whites and only four have departments led by blacks, while of the 30 cities with the lowest rates, 16 have police departments led by blacks and only 11 are led by whites. Differences in fatal shooting rates persist after controlling for city characteristics. Conclusion Leaders in the highest position of authority may have a powerful effect on the culture of a police department and its resulting behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Wu, 2021. "Leadership Matters: Police Chief Race and Fatal Shootings by Police Officers," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(1), pages 407-419, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:102:y:2021:i:1:p:407-419
    DOI: 10.1111/ssqu.12900
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. McElvain, James P. & Kposowa, Augustine J., 2004. "Police officer characteristics and internal affairs investigations for use of force allegations," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 265-279.
    2. Feldman, J.M. & Gruskin, S. & Coull, B.A. & Krieger, N., 2017. "Killed by police: Validity of media-based data and misclassification of death certificates in Massachusetts, 2004-2016," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 107(10), pages 1624-1626.
    3. Crandall, M. & Sharp, D. & Unger, E. & Straus, D. & Brasel, K. & Hsia, R. & Esposito, T., 2013. "Trauma deserts: Distance from a trauma center, transport times, and mortality from gunshot wounds in Chicago," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(6), pages 1103-1109.
    4. Marianne Bertrand & Antoinette Schoar, 2003. "Managing with Style: The Effect of Managers on Firm Policies," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 118(4), pages 1169-1208.
    5. repec:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2017.303940_4 is not listed on IDEAS
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    1. Culhane, Scott E. & Wiser, Jessie L., 2024. "Juvenile fatalities in law enforcement encounters," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).

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