Racial Differences in Hospital Evaluation After the Use of Force by Police: a Tale of Two Cities

Area of Science:

• Law Enforcement and Public Health
• Health Disparities Research
• Sociology of Policing

Background:

• The use of less-than-lethal force by law enforcement is a critical area of public health concern.
• Understanding potential biases in reporting and care access is essential for equitable public safety.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the impact of race on outcomes following police use of force.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate racial and sex bias in injury reporting and hospital evaluation after law enforcement use of less-than-lethal force.
• To determine if the number of officers present influences injury reporting or subsequent medical evaluation.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study analyzed 12,326 incidents of less-than-lethal force.
• Data were collected from Indianapolis, Indiana (2014-2018) and Wichita, Kansas (2008-2018).
• Statistical analysis examined the association between race, sex, number of officers, and reported injury or hospital evaluation.

Main Results:

• Injuries to non-White individuals were under-reported in both cities.
• Non-White persons were less likely to be referred for hospital evaluation post-force (Indianapolis OR 0.57; Wichita OR 0.66).
• In Indianapolis, multiple officers reduced hospitalization odds (OR 0.48 for injury, OR 0.22 for serious injury).

Conclusions:

• Significant racial disparities exist in injury reporting and access to medical care following law enforcement use of force.
• These findings highlight systemic inequities in how individuals are treated after police encounters.
• Policy and training interventions are needed to address these disparities.