Preventing Avoidable Deaths in Police Encounters with Citizens: Immediate Priorities

The global problem of fatal encounters between police and citizens is a massive challenge for both public health and public safety. This volume focuses on a wide range of ideas and evidence about what might be done to save lives in police-citizen encounters, at least in the United States. I focus on three ideas that could make the most difference, most quickly. Each of the ideas is supported by both substantial research evidence and a feasibility assessment of which ideas might be adopted. Three ideas that can transcend political gridlock, appeal to both supporters and critics of the American police, and appeal to police officers themselves are presented: (1) empowering police to take away legally possessed guns from manifestly dangerous people, (2) supporting police in emergency first aid and medical treatment of anyone who is injured by gunfire, and (3) developing implementation strategies based on research on the interactional tactics associated with fatalities and their prevention.