FBI director: There's no evidence of 'epidemic rates' of police violence

While speaking at the International Chiefs of Police Conference in San Diego on Sunday, FBI Director James Comey said the idea that "biased police are killing at epidemic rates" is making it more difficult for officers to do their jobs and harder for departments to recruit.

Videos and photos on social media are spreading the belief that police are "violent and racist and unfair," Comey said, but the federal government has "no idea of whether the number of black people...being shot by police" in recent years "is up, down, or sideways." Without this information, "we have anecdotes," and a "small group of videos serves as an epidemic," he continued. Like in any industry, there are "bad cops," but "the truth is this: Police officers are overwhelmingly good people" who just want to help, and people who say otherwise have "no idea" what they are talking about.

The FBI and Justice Department are working together to create a national database with details on police shootings and use of force by federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. Comey said that having this data, and using it to have an informed debate, will "save lives."

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