DURHAM, N.C. -- An eye-opening, newly-released study sheds light on Durham police and their arresting data.
The report focuses on misdemeanor crimes between 2007 and 2016. NC Central’s Juvenile Justice Institute and Durham Police partnered for this study.They did this to examine misdemeanor arrest trends to help improve community relations.
Here are some key takeaways from the study, between 2007 and 2016:
- Police arrested more people for misdemeanors than for felonies.
- Most those crimes included simple assault, larceny, and drug charges
- Officers also arrested more young men and African-Americans compared to their counterparts.
These numbers come from public records. Police and community advocates want this study to serve as the groundwork. The hope is to ignite conversation and change between the community and law enforcement.
"The Durham Police Department is a data-driven organization, and we are always looking for opportunities to improve our processes in an effort to maximize our resources and deliver our police services smarter and more effectively,” said Anthony Marsh, deputy chief.