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Honoring Officers
Those Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice and
Those Who Continue to Serve
Today in the United States, some 900,000 law enforcement officers put
their lives on the line for the safety and protection of others. They
serve with valor and distinction – and with great success. Federal
statistics show that violent and property crime rates in the United States
are at historic lows, thanks in large measure to the dedicated service of
the men and women of law enforcement.
That protection comes at a price, however. Each year, there are
approximately 16,000 assaults on law enforcement officers, resulting in
nearly 60,000 injuries. Sadly, over the last decade, an average of 160
officers a year have been killed in the line of duty. And throughout U.S.
history, nearly 19,000 law enforcement officers have made the ultimate
sacrifice.
Law Enforcement Fatalities Spike
Dangerously in 2010
Following a two year decline, law enforcement fatalities in 2010 spiked
to 162. This was an increase of nearly 40 percent compared to last year,
when 117 officers
were killed in the line of duty. Preliminary data from the
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund show that for the 13th
year in a row, traffic fatalities were the leading cause of officer
fatalities, with 73 officers killed in the line of duty—an increase of
43 percent from 2009.
Of the 73 traffic-related fatalities in 2010, 50 officers died in
automobile crashes, 16 were struck and killed by automobiles while
outside of their vehicles, 1 died in
a bicycle accident, and 6 died in motorcycle
crashes.
Firearm fatalities increased 24 percent, from 49 deaths in 2009 to 61 in
2010. Even more alarming, multiple fatality shootings accounted for
nearly 20 percent
of all fatal shootings. Five incidents occurred in: Fresno, CA, San
Juan, PR, West
Memphis, AR, Tampa, FL, and Hoonah, AK, accounting for 10 officer
deaths.
Thirty nine states, along with the District of
Columbia and Puerto Rico
experienced officer fatalities during 2010. For the third year in a row,
Texas (19), Florida (9) and California (11) were in the top five states
with the most fatalities—a combined total of 39, or 24 percent of the
national total for 2010. Eleven federal law enforcement officers died in
the line of duty in 2010, including three U.S. Customs and Border
Protection officers and two agents from the U.S. Border Patrol.
The average age of the officers killed in 2010 was 41; the average
length of their law enforcement service was nearly 12 years and on
average each officer left
behind 2 children.
Read more.
Law Enforcement Facts
Key Data about the Profession
There are more than 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers now serving in
the United States, which is the highest figure ever. About 12 percent of
those are female.
In 2008, there were an estimated 4.9 million violent crimes committed in
the United States, as well as an estimated 16.3 million property crimes
(according to the National Crime Victimization Survey conducted by the
Bureau of Justice Statistics). Violent and property crime rates in 2008
remain at the lowest levels recorded since 1973, the first year that such
data were collected. The rate of every major violent and property crime
measured by BJS fell between 1999 and 2008. The overall violent crime rate
fell 41 percent and the property crime rate declined by 32 percent during
the last 10 years.
Crime fighting has taken its toll. Since the first recorded police death
in 1792, there have been more than 18,600 law enforcement officers killed
in the line of duty. Currently, there are 18,661 names engraved on the
walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
A total of 1,640 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during
the past 10 years, an average of one death every 53 hours or 164 per year.
There were 133 law enforcement officers killed in 2008, the lowest annual
total since 1960.
On average, more than 60,000 law enforcement officers are assaulted each
year, resulting in approximately 16,000 injuries.
The 1970s were the deadliest decade in law enforcement history, when a
total of 2,276 officers died, or an average of 228 each year. The
deadliest year in law enforcement history was 1930, when 282 officers were
killed. That figure dropped dramatically in the 1990s, to an average of
160 per year.
The deadliest day in law enforcement history was September 11, 2001, when
72 officers were killed while responding to the terrorist attacks on
America.
New York City has lost more officers in the line of duty than any other
department, with 692 deaths. Texas has lost 1,504 officers, more than any
other state. The state with the fewest deaths is Vermont, with 19.
There are 981 federal officers listed on the Memorial, as well as 551
correctional officers and 30 military law enforcement officers.
There are 236 female officers listed on the Memorial, including 13 female
officers killed in 2008, one of the highest numbers in history.
During the past ten years, more officers were killed feloniously on Friday
than any other day of the week. The fewest number of felonious fatalities
occurred on Sunday. Over the past decade, more officers were killed
between 8:01 p.m. and and 10:00 p.m. than during any other two-hour
period.
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