New Report on 2012 Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities to be Released December 27, 2012

Preliminary data shows total line-of-duty deaths decreasing by 20 percent. Expert available for live or taped interviews.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new report will be released on Thursday, December 27, 2012 by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund with preliminary data revealing an encouraging decline in law enforcement officer fatalities during the past year. 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121001/DC84302LOGO-b)

Key Data as of December 17, 2012:

• The number of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty nationwide has decreased 20 percent. This comes after a two-year spike in fatalities.
• Traffic-related incidents have declined, 14 percent, thus far in 2012. With 50 law enforcement officer fatalities to date (compared to 58 at same point in 2011), traffic-related incidents are currently the leading cause of death among officers in 2012. 
• Firearms-related fatalities also declined 31 percent after a two-year increase, with 45 firearms-related fatalities thus far in 2012 compared to 65 in the same period in 2011.

These are among the many findings of the annual report on law enforcement officer fatalities for 2012 that will be released on Thursday, December 27, by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which provides information on officer fatalities. 

WHAT: Law Enforcement Officer Fatality Research Bulletin providing preliminary officer fatality data for 2012. The report will be available online at: www.LawMemorial.org/ResearchBulletin 

WHEN: Thursday, December 27, 2012

WHO: Craig W. Floyd, Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO is available for live or taped interviews to discuss the report and provide insight.

To schedule an interview, contact Steve Groeninger, Senior Director of Communications & Marketing, at (202) 737-7135, or via email at [email protected].

About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America's law enforcement officers and to promoting officer safety. The Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, which contains the names of 19,660 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now working to create the National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of law enforcement in America through high-tech, interactive exhibitions, historical artifacts and extensive educational programming. For more information, visit www.LawMemorial.org.

CONTACT:
Steve Groeninger
(202) 737-7135
[email protected]

SOURCE National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund