Why It Matters
For the first time since 2019, the number of people killed by police in the United States has declined, according to new data from Campaign Zero, a research group that tracks police violence. The findings carry significant implications for Ohio law enforcement policy, public accountability efforts, and ongoing national debates over use-of-force standards and police reform legislation.
The decline comes amid heightened public scrutiny of law enforcement tactics across the country, including in Ohio, where activists, legislators, and civil liberties groups have continued to push for greater transparency and accountability in policing practices.
What Happened
Campaign Zero, a research organization that advocates for the reduction of police violence, released new data showing that at least 1,314 people were killed by police in 2025 — a decrease from the record high recorded the previous year. The report marks the first annual decline in police killings since 2019.
The data was published in early April 2026 and covers all fifty states, tracking incidents involving state and local law enforcement agencies. The report does not include deaths that occurred during federal immigration enforcement operations, which fall under separate legal authorities and oversight structures.
Despite the decline, some policing experts urge caution in drawing broad conclusions. Researchers note it remains unclear whether the 2025 drop represents the beginning of a sustained downward trend or a one-year statistical fluctuation. Campaign Zero continues to monitor incident data on a rolling basis.
By the Numbers
1,314 — People killed by police in the United States in 2025, according to Campaign Zero’s report.
1,383 — People killed by law enforcement in 2024, the highest annual total recorded since Campaign Zero began tracking the data.
2019 — The last year prior to 2025 in which an annual decline in police killings was recorded.
0.08 per 100,000 — New Jersey’s rate of police killings in 2025, one of the lowest rates reported among all states in the dataset.
6 years — The approximate span during which annual police killing totals either held steady or increased before the 2025 decline was recorded.
Zoom Out
The release of this data coincides with a period of intense national debate over law enforcement practices. Footage of aggressive federal enforcement actions — particularly those involving immigration agents — has circulated widely on social media and generated significant public reaction. However, Campaign Zero’s report is limited to state and local police and does not capture deaths associated with federal operations.
Ohio is part of a 22-state coalition that has raised concerns about federal agency conduct, including allegations that ICE accessed Medicaid data in violation of a federal court order — a separate but related front in the broader debate over federal law enforcement authority and civil liberties.
At the national level, the Justice Department has shifted significant resources toward immigration enforcement, closing more than 23,000 criminal cases in the first six months of the Trump administration. Critics argue the reprioritization has reduced accountability infrastructure for other categories of law enforcement misconduct.
Across the country, several states have enacted or considered legislation in recent years aimed at reducing police use of force, improving officer training standards, and expanding community oversight boards. The effectiveness of those measures in influencing the 2025 numbers remains a subject of ongoing research and debate among criminologists and policy analysts.
What’s Next
Campaign Zero has indicated it will continue updating its database as additional 2025 incident reports are verified and logged. Researchers and advocates say the full picture of last year’s data may not be complete for several more months, particularly in jurisdictions where reporting is delayed or inconsistent.
At the state level in Ohio, lawmakers and law enforcement stakeholders are expected to continue evaluating use-of-force policies and training requirements in the coming legislative session. Advocacy organizations have signaled they will use the new Campaign Zero data to inform testimony and lobbying efforts at the statehouse.
Nationally, whether Congress or the executive branch moves to establish federal reporting mandates for police use-of-force incidents remains an open question. No comprehensive federal legislation requiring uniform data collection across all agencies is currently in effect.