When do statistics count?

[onlinebiker]

Ever hear people saying "we' re afraid of the police"? 

Why?

Seriously - what are the odds of you being killed by a police officer?

.....

Lets look at some facts.


In 2020 - some 45,000 people got killed with firearms in the USA.

In 2020 - just over 1000 people were killed by police.

Now - even if you discount half of the 45,000 - as they are suicides - you still are 20 times more likely to be killed by gunfire from a civilian, than a cop.



To me this is illogical as someone going into the ocean without a PFD - but is terrified of sharks.....

They are far more likely to drown - but they' re pissing themselves over the idea of a shark attack....

Just plain stupid I think....

[Fireball]

Statistics don't count, the people count stuff up to make statistics.

As for shark attacks, I present the Surf Punks-

[The Architect Of Fate]

Not a valid comparison 

For cops, even 100 is far too many 

For guns even over 1000 is too many 

Comparing sharks attacks to Guns or Police murders is what's illogical 

[Silver]

Statistically, data doesn't deserve notice.

[Ranjr]

Most the time.

[Duty]

This OP is very on point IMO. Also, of the 1000 people killed by police, how many of them were violently resisting arrest? 900? More?

I'm reminded of the destruction of Jeremy Corbyn's labour party by some clever Tory media churning of the myth that the Labour party was riddled with hateful antisemitism, based on a couple of dozen anti-Semitic posters on labour party websites. 20,000,000 labour voters, 20 anti-Semitic internet posters yet people getting fired for saying anti-Semitism is not riddling the labour party and the labour vote is destroyed, returning yet another Tory gov.

[The Architect Of Fate]

Lol no the OP is not on point not even remotely so 

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Ever hear people saying "we' re afraid of the police"? 

Why?

Seriously - what are the odds of you being killed by a police officer?

.....

Lets look at some facts.


In 2020 - some 45,000 people got killed with firearms in the USA.

In 2020 - just over 1000 people were killed by police.

Now - even if you discount half of the 45,000 - as they are suicides - you still are 20 times more likely to be killed by gunfire from a civilian, than a cop.



To me this is illogical as someone going into the ocean without a PFD - but is terrified of sharks.....

They are far more likely to drown - but they' re pissing themselves over the idea of a shark attack....

Just plain stupid I think....

You're looking at it wrong - you have to factor in the numbers in the groups doing the shooting and killing.

There are about 700 000 full time law enforcement officers in the US. 1000 deaths by cop equals 0.00143.

There are roughly 80 000 000 civilian firearm owners in the US. 45 000 deaths by civilian equals 0.000562.

This means you are approximately 2.5 time MORE likely to be shot and killed by one of the boys in blue than you are by a member of the public.

Boru

Edit: I dropped a decimal - I'd originally said '25 times MORE likely...' Should have been '2.5 times'. Fixed now.

[Jehanne]

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.'" (Mark Twain, 1907)

Of course, this written statement was on the eve of the great statistician Ronald Fisher, who would come to prominence in the decades after Twain's death.

[The Architect Of Fate]

Ever hear people saying "we' re afraid of the police"? 

Why?

Seriously - what are the odds of you being killed by a police officer?

.....

Lets look at some facts.


In 2020 - some 45,000 people got killed with firearms in the USA.

In 2020 - just over 1000 people were killed by police.

Now - even if you discount half of the 45,000 - as they are suicides - you still are 20 times more likely to be killed by gunfire from a civilian, than a cop.



To me this is illogical as someone going into the ocean without a PFD - but is terrified of sharks.....

They are far more likely to drown - but they' re pissing themselves over the idea of a shark attack....

Just plain stupid I think....

You're looking at it wrong - you have to factor in the numbers in the groups doing the shooting and killing.

There are about 700 000 full time law enforcement officers in the US. 1000 deaths by cop equals 0.00143.

There are roughly 80 000 000 civilian firearm owners in the US. 45 000 deaths by civilian equals 0.000562.

This means you are approximately 25 time MORE likely to be shot and killed by one of the boys in blue than you are by a member of the public.

Boru

Isn't it depressing that the only cop apologists can make the police seem less worryingly gun-happy is by comparing them to average joes on the street or suicide victims or oceanic predators?