TBI releases study on law enforcement-related deaths in 2017

NASHVILLE — For the first time, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has released a comprehensive study detailing law enforcement-related deaths in the state.

The report uses established definitions and methodology and provides information on qualifying incidents submitted by the state’s law enforcement agencies, according to a TBI release.

The data has been divided into three categories: Deadly Use-of-Force incidents, Arrest-Related Non-Forcible Deaths, and Deaths in Custody.

Among the report’s findings:

· In 2017, 53 law enforcement agencies reported a total of 120 law enforcement-related deaths. Of those, 24 deaths met the reporting criteria, established in state law, of deadly use of force by a law enforcement officer.

· The most predominate time frame for a deadly use-of-force incident in 2017 was between the hours of 6:00 PM and 11:59 PM.

· Of the 24 reported deadly use-of-force incidents in 2017, Whites accounted 87.5% of decedents, compared to Black or African-American, at 12.5%. Data did not identify any other races in these reported incidents. Males accounted for 96.0% of those killed in these incidents.

· Of the 120 law enforcement-related deaths reported in 2017, nine met the Arrest-Related Non-Forcible Death (ARNDF) reporting criteria. The 2017 data indicated six of these deaths were reported as Suicide.

· In 2017, 87 deaths were reported in local jails or state prisons. 92.0% of these deaths were male and most were above the age of 55. Illness accounted for the leading cause of these deaths.

See the full report on the TBI website.