Officer-involved shootings remain a focal point of public safety and civil rights concerns. Across the United States, fatal encounters between law enforcement and civilians have continued at historically high levels, even as overall violent crime trends shift. Comparing 2025 to 2024 reveals both persistent challenges and evolving legal frameworks — especially in California.
National Trends: 2024 Was Historically High
Data compiled by Mapping Police Violence — a comprehensive database tracking civilian deaths at the hands of police — shows that 2024 was the deadliest year on record for police killings in the U.S. according to independent researchers, with more civilians killed by law enforcement than in previous years despite overall declines in crime in some jurisdictions.
While final national totals for all of 2025 are not yet consolidated, available dashboards updated through late 2025 indicate ongoing high rates of killings by police — suggesting that 2025 may remain close to 2024 levels.
Key points:
- Independent databases estimate over 1,300 civilians were killed by law enforcement in 2024 — the highest annual figure on record.
- Early 2025 figures show continued high numbers of fatal police encounters, indicating that the trend of frequent deadly force incidents is persisting.
- National data also consistently underscores racial disparities and the disproportionate impact of police shootings on Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities.
California’s Diverging Path
California has its own pattern within the national landscape. Multiple data sources — including state reports and secondary analyses — suggest that police killings in the state have declined in recent years, reaching record lows in 2024 compared to 2023 and prior years.
While debate persists around precise counts (some sources list 117–134 police killings in California in 2024), the general direction reported by the California Department of Justice and corroborating trackers points to a decrease in fatal officer-involved shootings in California relative to national patterns.
Policy and Oversight in California
California’s reforms — including stronger use-of-force standards and transparency laws — have contributed to this shift:
- AB 392 (Penal Code § 835a) tightened the legal standard for when officers can use deadly force, emphasizing necessity and objective reasonableness.
- Government Code § 12525.3 mandates independent investigation by the state Attorney General for shootings that result in the death of unarmed civilians.
Where the Problem Persists: Warning Signs & Systemic Gaps
Even with reforms, significant problems remain:
Lack of Comprehensive Official Data
Federal data collection efforts on police use of force (e.g., the FBI’s National Use-of-Force Data Collection) face participation gaps and lag in reporting, making it difficult to fully assess trends.
Racial Disparities and Disproportionate Impact
Nationally, multiple data sets consistently show that Black, Latino, and Indigenous people face higher rates of police shootings compared to white people — a disparity that has remained consistent over time.
Opaque Department Practices
Despite California transparency laws passed in 2018, many local agencies continue to resist full disclosure of use-of-force records, driving continued public mistrust and legal challenges.
What Families & Advocates Should Do
If you’ve lost a loved one in an officer-involved shooting or are concerned about a use-of-force incident:
- Preserve evidence — secure bodycam footage and official reports quickly before they are lost.
- Obtain records — request the Attorney General’s investigative findings in California or local law enforcement reports.
- Consult counsel early — lawyer involvement early in the process ensures procedural protections and helps preserve key information.
If you or a loved one has been affected by an officer-involved shooting, contact The Sehat Law Firm at (949) 825-5200 for a free consultation, or complete the form at the bottom of this page to discuss your case with our legal team.
