Police Fired Fewer Bullets in '07

New York cops were less trigger happy in 2007 than 2006, according to the NYPD's annual firearms discharge report. In fact, last year police fired the fewest number of times since the department started keeping track in the '70s. In 2007 there were 111 incidents in which police discharged their firearms, including shots fired at animals, in suicide attempts, accidents and at suspects. (That number was down from 127 in 2006 and 253 in 1998.) But the report might give some the impression that this restraint is endangering officers, because the number of cops shot and injured in gunfights rose last year, to seven officers injured and three killed, including two unarmed auxiliary officers. And perhaps due to pressure from the NYCLU, this year's report also gives a racial breakdown of the shootings.

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By John Del Signore in News on September 11, 2008 10:57 AM

Comments [rss]

ganghiscon

"There were 45 cases in which officers intentionally fired at crime suspects, down 25 percent from the year before."

Will there be a report of unintentional shootings?

Art Vandelay

Oops, I see you corrected it. Thank you. (I was going off the RSS feed, which has the old headline)

Art Vandelay

FEWER bullets. Jesus Christ, did you guys even pass English?

JMH

It took them eight months to figure out how many bullets they fired last year?

RoDogg

So what, this means nothing! So they fired less bullets but maybe they used their stick more to beat the shit outta someone. Maybe they used their feet more to kick the crap outta someone. Less bullets don't mean less violence, they just found more alternatives.