Are You Surprised? Data Shows Louisiana State Police Use Force Against Black Residents at Alarming Rates
Data shows Louisiana State Police use force against Black residents at far higher rates than their share of the population, intensifying scrutiny of racial disparities in policing.
BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana consistently ranks among the worst states in the nation for public safety, criminal justice outcomes, and quality of life. New data shows the Louisiana State Police are not separate from those failures — they are deeply embedded in them.
A three-year analysis of Louisiana State Police use-of-force data reveals troopers used force against Black residents at grossly disproportionate rates from 2022 through 2024. Black Louisianans make up about 31% of the state’s population, yet accounted for more than 60% of all recorded use-of-force incidents involving state troopers. White residents, who comprise roughly 61% of the population, were involved in just 23% of those incidents.
The racial imbalance was consistent statewide. Disparities were documented across all 10 Louisiana State Police regional troops, eliminating claims of isolated misconduct. The most severe disparities appeared in southwest Louisiana, where Black and Native American residents were involved in use-of-force incidents at roughly three times their share of the local population.
Louisiana State Police dispute findings, not the numbers
Louisiana State Police leadership has not challenged the accuracy of the data. Instead, officials argue the analysis is “not a fair depiction,” pointing to the inclusion of vehicle pursuits alongside other uses of force.
That defense raises more questions than answers.
Vehicle pursuits are among the most dangerous enforcement actions police can take. They frequently escalate into physical force, serious injury and death. Federal reporting standards classify pursuits as high-risk encounters, and Louisiana State Police have historically included them in use-of-force reporting.
In 2024 alone, troopers ended 303 vehicle pursuits using tire deflation devices and other termination techniques. At the conclusion of those chases, troopers deployed stun guns 33 times, used hands-on force in 26 incidents and discharged firearms twice. Separate from pursuits, troopers reported dozens more uses of force, including Tasers, chemical agents and physical restraints.
Racial disparities persist even in State Police’s own data
When broken down by race, State Police data reinforces the same conclusion. In 2024, nearly 64% of all use-of-force and pursuit-related incidents involved Black residents. White residents accounted for just 21%. In more than 10% of cases, race was listed as unknown, a reporting failure that may further obscure the scope of racial disparities in policing.
State Police officials claim most pursuits are initiated for speeding violations and insist race is not a factor. Civil justice advocates argue that explanation ignores the reality of outcomes. Even if initial contact were race-neutral, the results are not. Black drivers are pursued more often, escalated more aggressively and subjected to force at far higher rates.
Accountability gaps and public access to police records
The findings come as Louisiana expands public reporting requirements for police use-of-force incidents. A state law now mandates disclosure when force results in bodily injury, following widespread outrage over a 2021 arrest in which a Black woman was dragged by her hair and slammed to the ground by a sheriff’s deputy. Despite a civil settlement, the officer involved remained employed.
Civil justice organizations are now building a statewide police accountability database to track officer misconduct, complaints and use-of-force histories across more than 600 law enforcement agencies. Advocates say the effort is necessary because internal police discipline systems have repeatedly failed to hold officers accountable.
Efforts to obtain full disciplinary records from the state’s police certification council have faced delays, resistance and high costs, further limiting public oversight of law enforcement conduct in Louisiana.
Transparency promises follow exposure
Louisiana State Police officials say recent technology upgrades will allow deeper analysis of use-of-force data and could lead to a public-facing dashboard. Advocates note such promises arrive only after damaging data becomes public.
Transparency without consequences, they argue, does not change behavior.
A familiar outcome in a state ranked among the worst
For Black Louisianans, the data confirms a long-standing reality. In a state that ranks among the worst nationally for criminal justice outcomes, policing outcomes follow the same pattern. The numbers do not point to a misunderstanding or a data problem. They point to an agency whose practices repeatedly and predictably concentrate force on Black communities.
Are you surprised?
The data suggests Louisiana State Police are not malfunctioning. They are operating exactly as they have for years — with devastating and unequal results.
