Discussion 3 – Fatal Police Shootings of Unarmed Black People – What Data Should be Freely Available to the Pu

What data should be freely available to the public?

Our data analysis can only be as good as the data we have to work with.

Sometimes data is freely accessible – like the U.S. census data.

Sometimes, however, you’ve got to pay for data – because collecting data isn’t free.

And, sometimes, you just have to collect it yourself.

That is what NPR did – in their investigation into fatal shootings of unarmed black people (Links to an external site.).

“Since 2015, police officers have fatally shot at least 135 unarmed Black men and women nationwide, an NPR investigation has found.

NPR reviewed police, court and other records to examine the details of the cases.

At least 75% of the officers were white.” NPR (Links to an external site.)

The article goes on to say:

If some police departments do not release all specifics (office name and race), do we have an accurate summary of all data involving fatal police shootings of unarmed black people?

For this discussion I would like you to post your opinion about whether or not Police Departments in the U.S. should be forced to disclose certain specifics (like officer’s race) involving fatal shootings.
What to consider:
If some police departments do not release specifics such as the officer’s race, do you think we are able to collect accurate data about all fatal police shootings?
If every police department was forced to release this information (police officer’s race), what do you think the real, full data set would look like? Meaning – Do you think that the “75% of the police officers were white” would still be true?
Do you think that the 75% would be lower? Do you think the percentage would be higher?
Do you think there could be some reasonable compromise – like releasing the officer’s race, but not their name?
Or do you think they should have to release all information?
Or, do you think that Police Departments have every right to withhold these specifics, citing open investigations?
Do you think the race of the police officer is irrelevant – in cases involving fatal shootings of unarmed black people?
Or do you think that the police officer’s race is highly relevant?