Police shootings study sparks debate on role of racial bias

A recent study that found Houston officers are less likely to shoot at blacks and Hispanics than whites is prompting debate over the role racial bias can play in police shootings and highlighting the need for comprehensive nationwide data on these incidents.

The part of Harvard University economist Roland Fryer’s working paper that has drawn criticism from some activists and others is its finding that there are “no racial differences in officer-involved shootings” in Houston, the nation’s fourth largest city.

The study found blacks are 23.8 percent less likely than whites to be shot at by Houston police, and that Hispanics are 8.5 percent less likely than whites to be shot at by the city’s officers.

Community activists criticized the study while Houston’s acting police chief cited it as an example of transparency.