Mapping Police Violence

Independent collaborative research team: Samuel Sinyangwe, DeRay McKesson, Johnetta Elzie

https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/

An interactive map that pinpoints each instance that an individual was killed by a police officer in 2020. The map also notes that so far in 2021, 745 people have been killed. Each pinpoint can be clicked on to view information about the killing and sources to support. There are several other charts and graphs that track police brutality over the years. Other tabs allow the viewer to compare data between cities and states and view national trends. One may also read extensive information on how the data was collected and why it is important to continue to investigate police officers.

A regular browser is needed to open the website. Other than that, all of the maps, charts and graphs can be viewed through the website, no other applications are needed.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts has a similar interactive map that pinpoints each case of police violence and alleged incidents of misconduct in MA starting in 2000. The interactive map is similar, but nearly as extensive as Mapping Police Violence.

To accurately interpret the information, one needs a general understanding of what police brutality looks like. If a viewer does not have this background knowledge, the "about the data" tab defines the phrase police killings, and how each data point was coded/defined.

I do not see any applications that make the website accessible for blind individuals. The interactive maps may be audible by a separate application, but the website does not include accessibility features. The map does give an overview of how police violence has remained consistent for two decades.

Sinyangwe, Samuel S, et al. “Mapping Police Violence.” Mapping
Police Violence, https://mappingpoliceviolence.org/.

Open access.