The Costs of Police Violence: Measuring Misconduct

by Paulette Blanc Jeffrey Gleason Ryan Jones

This report provides data on the costs associated with police misconduct in Austin, TX, during the years 2012 through early 2020. Police misconduct encompasses the violation of Austin Police Department policies or individuals' constitutional rights by police officers in their duties or the illegal or unethical actions of police officers on duty. Police misconduct can range from verbal assaults to bystanders to excessive force that results in a person's death. The goal of this report is to understand how much taxpayer dollars are spent on police misconduct. One article from an Austin NPR news radio story that discusses some of the challenges of measuring police misconduct costs said that the decision to settle a case of misconduct that early ends up saving money for attorney's fees and can result in a lower settlement.[1] Insurance policies and local budgets usually pay for judgments and claims in cases of police misconduct. 

Austin, TX: MEASURE, 2021. 11p.