Police Shootings in Canada: An Empirical Analysis and Call for Data

Abstract

We analyzed police shootings in Canada (except Québec) between 2017 and 2019. Drawing upon media reports and information provided by police oversight agencies, we attempted to identify all incidents where on-duty police officers discharged their firearm with the intent to strike a person. Findings indicated that such incidents occurred an average of 58 times per year. Approximately 39% of police shootings were fatal, 48% were non-fatal, and 12% were non-injurious. Most occurred in public spaces and were initiated by civilian requests for police service, typically for crime-related reasons. We discuss our findings with respect to both research and practice. We also call for official, incident-level data regarding police shootings to address concerns that otherwise exist about these incidents among civilians, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers.