Police-Related Deaths in the United States is a thought-provoking read that makes an important contribution towards challenging the lack of visibility which dominates this area. The approach of engaging directly with bereaved families assists in providing a welcome humanization of the deceased and valuing the voices of these families. In addition, the book occupies an important role in recognizing the prominent issues surrounding the various constructs, structures and systems that can be challenged in order to assist in a much-required move beyond the individ­ualization of these deaths.

British Journal of Criminology

There is a lot of information and discussion about this topic from all sides of the political spectrum, and it can be hard for even a committed follower of these issues to parse out the important arguments, nuance and details. Baker's book does that with great perspicacity. It is a must-read for anyone interested, however peripherally, in policing in the US and beyond.

International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy

Any reasonable person can conclude that some needless police killings have occurred, such as those of Mike Brown, George Floyd, Eric Garner, and 13-year-old Adam Toledo. Are these incidents outliers, rare and regrettable exceptions to established police procedures? After studying police-related deaths in England and Wales, Baker turns his research to police-related mortality in the US. The author investigates an overlooked audience for insights: families of the decedents. Baker's important book argues that every police-related death deserves the same forensic scrutiny as a typical homicide in which police are not involved as actors. Expanded use of body-worn and dashboard cameras, closer scrutiny of violence-prone officers, and training on responses to vulnerable groups are proposed as police management strategies. Between 2005 and 2017, an estimated 13,000 police-related deaths occurred. Few police officers were disciplined or prosecuted for these deaths, even though many victims were shot in the back, and about one-third of them had mental health issues. Certainly, police officers sometimes face life-or-death decisions and must protect themselves. However, officer trainees spend an average of 111 hours on guns and self-defense and only 9 on mediation/conflict resolution. Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals.

Choice Reviews

David Baker’s 154-page book attempts to explain why police shootings are on the rise, and whether race is a pertinent construct in these police related deaths. Police Related Deaths in the United States is the result of field-based research funded by a Fulbright scholarship. In eras gone bye, many times a shooting death of an individual was played out in the newspapers by journalists, seeking to grab headlines, and vilifying the shooting victim. However, over the years, with the existence of cell phone cameras and so on, and federal agencies investigating state and city agencies, conclusions cannot be reached as quickly as was once the case.

Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books

This is an important book and a "must-read" for students of policing, race, politics, law, and criminal justice in the US and beyond.

Policing & Society

David Baker's rich qualitative analysis deeply provokes any reader interested in the intersections of policing and justice, governance and equality. The voices of surviving family members find full expression in this path-breaking volume.

Bruce A. Arrigo, University of North Carolina at Charlotte