Police shootings are back in the news. Michael Slager has pleaded guilty to federal charges involving the killing of Walter Scott. Federal officials have declined to bring charges against the officers involved in the shooting death of Alton Sterling. Meanwhile Texas officer Roy Oliver has been fired in the wake of the shooting death of 15 year old Jordan Edwards.

Each shooting incident has to be considered separately to take account of all the surrounding circumstances. There are a range of possibilities—from self-defense on the part of the officer, to tragic accident or mistake, to manslaughter or even first degree homicide. To ensure just outcomes, one of the most important things is to have independent, impartial investigations whenever there is a questionable shooting, especially where someone is killed or injured. Preferably, this will be done by a completely separate police department or the state attorneys general office, rather than the federal government. Another best practice for police shootings involves transparency. Police departments should identify the shooter and disclose his or her record, such as previous involvement in shootings or previous lawsuits alleging wrongdoing. Authorities should also make videos available. Mayor Rahm Emanuel tried to make the Lacquan McDonald case go away with a quiet legal settlement. It was only when a reporter went to court to seek the release of the video that the scandal was exposed and real movement for police reform could begin. 

For related Cato work, go to our police misconduct web site. Still more here, here, and here.