APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The Appleton Police Department presented its 10-year “use of force” report to city leaders Wednesday.
The department says it has responded to 494,888 calls for service since 2010.
In that time period, the department says force was used about .12% of the time (577 calls), meaning nearly 99.9% of calls did not result in a use of force.
Police Chief Todd Thomas says this report has been in the works for months.
“We’re trying to identify what the next best thing is that we can do to reduce the use of force for the people we deal with and for our officers.”
The 10-year analysis says the most common use of force by Appleton police is decentralization, which means taking a person to the ground.
The second most common is using a stun gun (also known as a “taser”).
Appleton police also analyzed use of force across different races.
“We do not use force more excessively against African Americans than we do Caucasians according to the data,” Thomas said.
2010 census data shows Appleton’s population is a little more than 84% white.
According to the police department report, 67% of its total use of force incidents involve white people — lower than the overall white population.
Roughly 3% of the city’s population is Black.
Appleton police data shows Black people account for more than 21% of total use of force incidents — almost seven times higher than the overall Black population.
“I would be very concerned if our arrest rate was 20% and the percent that we used force against African Americans was 30%, or 35%. They’re not, they’re proportionate and very similar,” Thomas said.
So what will the city of Appleton do with this information? Appleton Council President Kyle Lobner told FOX 11…
“I think the first step of that conversation is just a really thorough look at where we stand right now. That’s what we started tonight. I think it’ll continue for our next few meetings, so as it comes time to look at budgets next year and some of the things we can do going forward, we have a really thorough understanding of where we are as a community.”
Appleton Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator Karen Nelson tells FOX 11 she’s happy with the police department’s transparency.
“I’m just so proud of us now, turning the corner and taking the next step to even greater transparency. Can we do better? We can always do better as the chief said.”
Appleton Police will have another presentation in two weeks.
See the department’s most recent use of force report here
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