Part 6/12:
A core obstacle to reform is the scarcity of accessible, reliable data on police-involved incidents, killings, and misconduct. Since 1994, several federal initiatives aimed to track police fatalities have largely faltered due to non-participation by law enforcement agencies. In response, independent organizations have stepped in. For example, one found 1,795 fatal police encounters in 2019—up to 125 times the rate in other developed countries. Despite this alarming data, public access remains limited, with many states enacting laws that keep police records confidential, even in response to Freedom of Information Act requests.