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Methods

Data sources, coding rules, statistical methods, and limitations.

  • Data sources and inclusion rules

    Where the records come from, how cases are identified and checked, and what the dataset covers.

    Current Version 1.0 October 10, 2026

  • Coding rules and reliability

    How the variables on this site are defined and coded, and how coding quality is checked.

    Current Version 1.0 October 10, 2026

  • Suppression and privacy

    What the Lab publishes, what it never publishes, and how small counts are protected.

    Current Version 1.0 October 2, 2026

  • Statistical methods

    The analyses the Lab uses, and what each is designed to show.

    Current Version 1.0 October 10, 2026

  • Limitations

    What the data can and cannot show, and how to read the figures with care.

    Current Version 1.0 October 10, 2026

  • Version history and corrections log

    A dated record of data snapshots, reports, and corrections.

    Current Version 1.0 October 2, 2026

  • How the Lab classifies less-lethal force

    The single indicator that says whether any less-lethal option was used, and exactly which options it counts.

    Current Version 1.0 October 2, 2026

  • Protected interest at the first shot

    Who or what the officer acted to protect when the first lethal shot was fired, as official accounts describe it.

    Current Version 1.0 October 2, 2026