"The Los Angeles Police Department on Tuesday released a report touting a decline in shootings by officers in 2024, even as officials acknowledged this year's numbers show the trend reversing with a major uptick in incidents of deadly force. LAPD officers opened fire on 29 people last year, compared with 34 in 2023 - a sign, the report's authors maintained, that the department's efforts to curb serious uses of force are having an effect."
"LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell told the commission that the use of Tasers and launchers that shoot hard foam projectiles was "foremost on everybody's minds." But oftentimes, he said, encounters with people in crisis unfold so quickly and unpredictably that officers are left with little time to consider other tools. He noted that the vast majority of shootings stem from 911 calls, rather than "proactive policing," which he said underscores "the reactive nature of these events.""
Officer shootings declined to 29 incidents in 2024 from 34 in 2023, while 2025 has seen at least 31 shootings in fewer than nine months. The decline was presented as evidence that efforts to curb serious uses of force may be effective, but recent 2025 figures indicate a reversal. Encounters with people showing signs of mental illness sometimes resulted in officers firing instead of using less-lethal weapons such as Tasers and foam projectile launchers. Many shootings originate from 911 calls rather than proactive policing, reflecting the reactive nature of these events. Public frustration has grown amid rising deadly-force incidents.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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