Bureau of justice statistics - Data from the Arrest-Related Deaths (ARD) component of the Deaths in Custody Reporting Program (DCRP) represent a national accounting of persons who have died during the process of arrest from 2003 through 2009.
Highlights:
A total of 4,813 deaths were reported to the Arrest-Related Deaths program from January 2003 through December 2009.
Of reported arrest-related deaths, 61% (2,931) were classified as homicides by law enforcement personnel, 11% (541) were suicides, 11% (525) were due to intoxication, 6% (272) were accidental injuries, and 5% (244) were attributed to natural causes.
State and local law enforcement agencies employing 100 or more full-time sworn personnel accounted for 75% of the 4,813 arrest-related deaths reported during 2003-2009.
Among reported arrest-related deaths, 42% of persons were white, 32% were black, and 20% were Hispanic.