Humphrey Releases Info on Officer-Involved Deaths

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, recently requested information from the Office of Criminal Justice Statistics with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation on fatal officer-involved shootings (FOIS), arrest-related deaths (ARDs), and law enforcement officers killed and assaulted (LEOKA).

“I think it’s time Oklahomans have an honest conversation about policing, but one based on facts and data,” Humphrey said. “Only when the public has accurate information about law enforcement and the deaths that occurred while a person was being taken into custody or was in custody, and also the number of law enforcement officers that are killed and assaulted can we decide if changes are needed.”

He released the following compiled by the Statistical Analysis Center:

FOIS for 2015, 2017 and 2018 – the latest year available. Information for 2016 was not included because incidents were not verified through the necessary means listed in each report under the “methodology” section, according to the Office of Criminal Justice Statistics:

In 2015, 33 FOIS occurred. Twenty-one decedents were white, nine were black, two Native American, one Hispanic. All were male. The average age was 38 – the youngest 18, the oldest 83. Ten FOIS occurred in Oklahoma County; two each in Carter, Cherokee, Payne and Tulsa counties; one each in Adair, Bryan, Choctaw, Coal, Comanche, Creek, Grady, Grant, Logan, Mayes, Muskogee, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa and Pottawatomie counties. Seven of the deaths occurred in Oklahoma City and one in Tulsa, the state’s two largest cities.

In 2017, 29 FOIS occurred. Eighteen decedents were white, four Native American, three black, three Hispanic, one unknown. All were male. The average age was 39 – the youngest 18, the oldest 64. The highest number of deaths, seven, occurred in Oklahoma County, followed by five in Tulsa County and three in Sequoyah County. Six deaths occurred in Oklahoma City and five in Tulsa. In the majority of incidents, 55%, law enforcement made initial contact with the decedent because of a citizen request. In another 14% of the incidents, law enforcement made initial contact during a traffic stop. Decedents verbally threatened others in 55% of the incidents. They attempted to escape or flee to elude law enforcement in 34% of the incidents, and in 10% attempted to barricade themselves or initiate a standoff. In 3% of the incidents, decedents attempted to gain possession of an officer’s weapon.

In 2018, 30 FOIS occurred. Eighteen decedents were white, five black, three Native American, three Hispanic, and one was listed as other. Twenty-nine were male, one female. The average age was 39 – the youngest 16, the oldest 72. Five of the incidents happened in Oklahoma County and four in Tulsa. In 56.7% of the incidents, law enforcement made contact due to a citizen request for criminal or suspicious activity. Other common contacts were for traffic or vehicle stops (13.3%), warrant service (13.3%), and 16.7% occurred during routine patrol, citizen requests for welfare checks or for other reasons.

ARDs for 2009-2013. It is important to note that from 2009 to 2013, the Statistical Analysis Center collected information on ARDs, and after that began collecting data for the FOIS.

In 2009, Oklahoma had nine reportable deaths that occurred in the process of arrest. Five of the individuals were white, two black and two Native American. All were male. The average age was 34 – the youngest 22, the oldest 56. Four deaths occurred in Oklahoma County, four in Tulsa County and one in Stephens County. Seven of the deaths occurred in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

In 2010, there were 20 ARDs in Oklahoma. Eleven of the individuals were white, seven black and two Native American. All but one were male. The average age was 36 – the youngest 20, the oldest 71. Eleven deaths occurred in Oklahoma County, three in Tulsa County, two in both Cleveland and Pottawatomie counties and one in both Muskogee and Pawnee counties. Thirteen of the deaths occurred in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

In 2011, there were 38 ARDs in Oklahoma. Twenty-five of the individuals were white, nine black, three Hispanic, one Native American. All but one were male. The average age was 34 – the youngest 20, the oldest 59. Thirteen deaths occurred in Oklahoma County, seven in Tulsa County, three in Cleveland County, two each in Garvin and Pushmataha counties, and one each in Canadian, Noble, Stephens, Greer, Delaware, Rogers, Marshall, Wagoner, Woodward, Grady and Cherokee counties.  Seventeen of the deaths happed in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

In 2012, there were 32 ARDs. Twenty individuals were white, eight black, three Hispanic, one Native American. All but one of the individuals were male. The average age was 36 – the youngest 18, the oldest 66. Ten of the deaths occurred in Oklahoma County, seven in Tulsa County, two in Cleveland County, three in Canadian County, two in Comanche County, two in Payne County, and one each in Cherokee, Custer, Garvin, Mayes, Okmulgee and Seminole counties. Fourteen of the deaths occurred in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

In 2013, there were 34 ARDs in Oklahoma. Twenty of the individuals were white, five black, five Hispanic, one Native American. All but two were male. The average age was 32 – the youngest 18, the oldest 58. Ten deaths occurred in Oklahoma County, three in Tulsa County, three in Comanche County, two in Garfield County, and one each in Atoka, Canadian, Cleveland, Custer, Garvin, Grady, Logan, Mayes, Okfuskee, Payne and Wagoner counties. Seventeen of the deaths occurred in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

LEOKA data for 2018, the latest year available, shows zero officers were killed as the result of a felonious act, and zero were killed as the result of an accident or negligent act. The number of officers assaulted in 2018 was 995, up from 946 in 2017 and 918 in 2016.

More detailed information is available on this website: https://osbi.ok.gov/statistical-analysis-center/publications,