February 10, 2020
Researchers from the University of Texas at
San Antonio will study the Fairfax County Police Department’s use-of-force
culture.
A study released three years ago
found that roughly 40 percent of all use-of-force incidents involved a Black
individual. The Fairfax County Board of Directors subsequently directed Police
Auditor Richard Schott to find an academic team to review FCPD’s data.
The study, which will identify
patterns and trends by FCPD with emphasis on race, ethnicity, and gender, will
be completed by Jan. 31, 2021. Researchers will review incidents that happened
between 2016 and 2018, in addition to the following questions:
1. What factors or combination of factors contribute
to the use of force by FCPD officers? Specifically, what role does civilian
race, ethnicity, gender, or similar personal characteristics play in the
decision to use force?
2. Does the rate of force experienced by
persons of different races and/or ethnicities align with those groups’
representation among persons at risk for having force used against them by the
police? Do disparities exist in rates of force experienced by different racial
and/or ethnic groups relative to risk?
3. Is civilian race, ethnicity, or gender
related to the level of force used by the police while accounting for
resistance and other relevant individual, situational, and environmental
factors?
4. How can the FCPD improve its use of force
data collection processes to help facilitate future analyses?
5. What steps can the FCPD take to help reduce
bias in use of force incidents?
The USTA team expects to present
a reporting of its findings — including conclusions and next steps — to the
Board of Supervisors.
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