RALEIGH, N.C. – Deadly encounters with law enforcement are rising each year, according to research nonprofit Mapping Police Violence.

Tensions are higher than ever for both citizens and officers, with 2022 marking 1,194 deaths across the country, the most killings by police officers since the nonprofit began tracking the numbers in 2013.

One North Carolina case that made headlines across the country was the death of Darryl Williams, a Black man who died after being shocked with a Taser three times by police officers in Raleigh on Jan. 17.

The Raleigh Police Department report notes Williams was heard on body camera video telling officers, “I have heart problems,” after they used a Taser on him for the first time while he was on the ground. They then shocked him with the Taser him two more times on “drive stun mode,” with the Taser up against Williams’ body, according to the report.

The six officers involved are on administrative leave but have not been charged with any crimes. Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman will determine whether they acted lawfully and could press charges if she finds any laws were broken.

Read more about the case and why the officers attempted to arrest Williams here.

Dr. Roy Taylor, the chief of police for Capitol Special Police, watched the body camera video and shared his perspective.

“As an expert in federal court, I would say that would be excessive use of force,” Taylor said.

Taylor has more than 40 years of law enforcement experience, including time as a Wake County deputy, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, and working in EMS and fire.

Today, he leads Capitol Special Police, a law enforcement service for hire with branches across North Carolina. He also trains other law enforcement officers on use of force and firearms.

“I’ve just always been drawn to helping other people and making sure that they’re able to enjoy their life and not have to worry about being a victim of crime,” Taylor explained.

High-profile cases, like Williams’, have raised tensions and fear for many while interacting with police.

“Unfortunately, some national publicity on some unfortunate incidents has really cast aspersions onto the profession,” Taylor said.

There are multiple factors attributed to the rise in deaths of people interacting with police, including a rise in mental illness. The World Health Organization says there has been a 13% rise in mental health conditions and substance use disorder in the last decade.

According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, people with untreated mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed during a police encounter than other civilians approached by law enforcement.

“It’s disappointing to me that people are afraid of law enforcement. I grew up in a small town in Ohio where people respected law enforcement,” Taylor said. “They were neighbors. And I don’t think anybody really feared them. They knew they were there to help them.”

According to researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Black Americans are more than three times as likely as white people to be killed during a police encounter.

“I hate that, you know, people of color have to have a talk with their children about how to behave around law enforcement officers. To me, that’s appalling,” Taylor said. “Law enforcement should be model citizens.”

If you ever feel you’re being treated unfairly or inappropriately during a traffic stop or any interaction with police, Taylor recommends reporting the incident to that officer’s supervisor afterward.

“The time of the traffic stop is not when we're going to disagree with the officer or resist what the officer tells us to do. It's always best to comply, be respectful and once the traffic stop is over, make those contacts with the supervisor,” Taylor said. “But if you're antagonistic or disrespectful, then that's certainly not going to go as well as you would like.”

Taylor also encourages people to record the interaction, if possible. It will help you demonstrate the situation and interaction when reporting incidents.

As for officers, Taylor says they should assume that they’re being recorded. Especially with body cameras becoming more common in departments across the nation.

Taylor shared the following additional tips and actions to keep both you and the officer safe during a traffic stop:

• When you see the police lights behind you, turn on your signal light and slow down before coming to a stop at a safe location.
• If it’s dark out, put on your dome light so the officer can fully see you
• Keep your hands visible at a 12 o’clock position on the steering wheel
• Do not dig around for your license and registration until the officer asks. Let them know if you have to reach for your glove compartment to get out the paperwork.
• Stay calm and cooperative with the officer, and report any disagreements to their supervisor or the courts afterward.

He also says it’s crucial that law enforcement officers make time to connect and interact with the communities they’ve sworn to protect and serve.

“The more the police officers can have interaction with citizens on a friendly one-on-one basis, the better off we’ll be,” Taylor said.