Use of Force Incidents

The Office of Homeland Security Statistics (OHSS) issues this annual report describing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement use of force incidents. The files at the bottom of the page include breakdowns of the number of DHS law enforcement use of force incidents, types of force used, and subject and officer injuries.

OHSS produces these reports independently in support of our mission to foster transparency by analyzing and disseminating timely, objective DHS data and statistics. OHSS worked with DHS Component statistical officials and subject matter experts to validate the reporting methodologies supporting this report, and Component statistical officials reviewed data tables for accuracy.

Methodology

Data Source

Data represent all incidents that were recorded by DHS’s nine law enforcement agencies and offices in accordance with the 2023 Update to the Department Policy on Use of Force.

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection,
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
• U.S. Secret Service,
• U.S. Coast Guard,
• Transportation Security Administration,
• Federal Protective Service,
• Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers’ Office of Security and Professional Responsibility,
• Office of the Chief Security Officer, and
• Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Mount Weather Police Department.

Date

Data are as of 3/15/2024. Statistical information is subject to change due to corrections, systems changes, changes in data definition, additional information, or incidents pending final review. We release this report on an annual basis. The report currently covers the most recent fiscal year and reports from prior fiscal years are not updated after release.

Data Processing

Data formats are standardized across DHS’s nine law enforcement agencies and offices through the Law Enforcement Coordination Council Use of Force Reporting Working Group. Unique incident identifiers are used to trace data lineage back to source agency and office data.

Unit of Measure

The unit of measurement for this report is incidents except for Table 8 where the unit of measurement is types of force used. This report categorizes incidents into three types: officer(s) use of force against subject(s), subject(s) assault against officer(s), and forced compliance of vehicle(s) or vessel(s). If an incident falls into multiple categories — for example an officer(s) use of force against subject(s) and subject(s) assault against officer(s) — then the incident is counted in both categories.

Return to law enforcement topic page.