Police Related Deaths in the United States examines how police related deaths in the US occur; how investigations are conducted into these deaths; and why such deaths and the investigatory processes into them provoke such concern in the wider American society. The book considers such deaths as being the result of structural and systemic factors in policing, the criminal justice system, and broader socio-political and socio-legal landscapes in the U.S.. It argues that an increasingly aggressive police mindset allied with relatively toothless regulatory frameworks effectively lead to police being enabled by the criminal justice system to use lethal force with relative impunity. The book considers the disproportionate number of deaths in marginalized communities, for example: people of color, people who are mentally unwell, and LGBTQ people. Each chapter in the book begins with a case study of a specific police related death and places issues within that case in the wider context of policing in the US. David Baker argues that the effects of these deaths go beyond merely policing and criminal justice, and corrodes the core fabric of American society.

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Police-Related Deaths in the United States is a thought-provoking read that makes an important contribution towards challenging the lack of visibility which dominates this area. The approach of engaging directly with bereaved families assists in providing a welcome humanization of the deceased and valuing the voices of these families. In addition, the book occupies an important role in recognizing the prominent issues surrounding the various constructs, structures and systems that can be challenged in order to assist in a much-required move beyond the individ­ualization of these deaths.

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There is a lot of information and discussion about this topic from all sides of the political spectrum, and it can be hard for even a committed follower of these issues to parse out the important arguments, nuance and details. Baker's book does that with great perspicacity. It is a must-read for anyone interested, however peripherally, in policing in the US and beyond.

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Any reasonable person can conclude that some needless police killings have occurred, such as those of Mike Brown, George Floyd, Eric Garner, and 13-year-old Adam Toledo. Are these incidents outliers, rare and regrettable exceptions to established police procedures? After studying police-related deaths in England and Wales, Baker turns his research to police-related mortality in the US. The author investigates an overlooked audience for insights: families of the decedents. Baker's important book argues that every police-related death deserves the same forensic scrutiny as a typical homicide in which police are not involved as actors. Expanded use of body-worn and dashboard cameras, closer scrutiny of violence-prone officers, and training on responses to vulnerable groups are proposed as police management strategies. Between 2005 and 2017, an estimated 13,000 police-related deaths occurred. Few police officers were disciplined or prosecuted for these deaths, even though many victims were shot in the back, and about one-third of them had mental health issues. Certainly, police officers sometimes face life-or-death decisions and must protect themselves. However, officer trainees spend an average of 111 hours on guns and self-defense and only 9 on mediation/conflict resolution. Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals.

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David Baker’s 154-page book attempts to explain why police shootings are on the rise, and whether race is a pertinent construct in these police related deaths. Police Related Deaths in the United States is the result of field-based research funded by a Fulbright scholarship. In eras gone bye, many times a shooting death of an individual was played out in the newspapers by journalists, seeking to grab headlines, and vilifying the shooting victim. However, over the years, with the existence of cell phone cameras and so on, and federal agencies investigating state and city agencies, conclusions cannot be reached as quickly as was once the case.

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This is an important book and a "must-read" for students of policing, race, politics, law, and criminal justice in the US and beyond.