Nick Selby, a law enforcement and security expert, shares insights from his extensive experience in the complexities of policing and information security. He highlights the often misunderstood realities of police encounters, noting that while 1,400 people die annually following interactions with police, the use of non-deadly force—such as intimidation and humiliation—more significantly erodes public trust in law enforcement. Selby also discusses the challenges in modern policing, including the integration of technology and the balance between civil liberties and effective law enforcement. The conversation delves into the nuanced issues surrounding police culture, training, and the societal impact of these practices.
Nick is an information and physical security professional who provides information security, disaster- and cyber incident-readiness assessments at Fuzz Technology, a subsidiary of EPSD, Inc.
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Nick Selby:
Every year, 1400 people die after an encounter with police. There are 80 million encounters in the United States between police and citizens. And every year, 1400 people end up dead. Some of them are unarmed, usually about 150 to 200. The rest of them are either armed or something. Even the Washington Post says that 92% of the people who were killed by police had initiated a deadly force encounter. But every cop knows that if you shoot somebody, you’re going to absolutely get investigated. You probably are going to be the subject of a federal civil rights lawsuit. It’s going to be a nightmare for years and years. Actually, non-deadly force is the problem. The slap, the kick, the punch, the humiliation, the ordering people to do stuff that is unfair, talking to people who believe. These are the things that destroy trust in law enforcement, of the community. And there’s no data anywhere in the world, anywhere about that.
Relevant Links
- Interview with Nick about police shootings:
https://thecrimereport.org/2016/05/31/doing-the-right-thing/ - Nick discusses spending a week with a mental health policing team
in North Texas: https://nickselby.com/docs/divert/ - He is co-author of
In Context: Understanding Police Killings of Unarmed Civilians - The Crime Report: “Doing the Right Thing” (2016)