Rise in Law Enforcement Fatalities Continues During First Half Of 2011 — Firearms-Related Deaths Reach 20-Year High

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, law enforcement fatalities rose sharply nationwide during the first half of 2011, including 40 officers killed by gunfire—the highest number in two decades.

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Ninety-eight law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the first six months of this year, according to preliminary figures released by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), in conjunction with the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.).  This represents a 14 percent increase over the 86 officers who lost their lives during the same time last year.  The number of officers killed by firearms surged 33 percent higher than the first-half numbers for 2010.

The one piece of good news in the report is that the number of officers killed in traffic-related incidents (35) declined by 17 percent compared to the first half of 2010.  Traffic-related incidents have been the leading cause of law enforcement fatalities for each of the past 13 years.

Of the 98 officers who were killed during the first six months of this year:  40 officers were shot to death; 21 died in automobile crashes; 16 succumbed to job-related illnesses; seven were struck by automobiles while outside of their own vehicles; five were killed in motorcycle crashes; two were struck by a train; one officer died in an aircraft crash; one was beaten to death; one was electrocuted; one died in a fall; one was killed in a bomb blast; one was crushed to death; and one was strangled.

Florida and Texas were the deadliest states in the nation over the past six months for law enforcement officers with 10 fatalities each; followed by New York with eight; Ohio with seven; and California, Michigan and Tennessee with four each.  Nine of the officers killed during the first half of the year served with Federal agencies, and five served with corrections agencies.  The average age of the officers who died was 41.  On average, they served for 13 years and eight of the officers who died were women.

"The economy has forced reductions in training, safety equipment and personnel at law enforcement agencies across America," stated NLEOMF Chairman Craig W. Floyd.  "These budget cuts have put our officers at greater risk, especially as they face a more brazen, cold-blooded criminal element and a continuing terrorist threat," he added.

"The number of family members impacted by line of duty law enforcement deaths increases each year," declared C.O.P.S. National President Linda Moon-Gregory.  "Correspondently, the number of families requesting assistance through their darkest days, and requesting assistance through C.O.P.S. grief healing retreats, has also increased. This gives C.O.P.S. a greater obligation and privilege to use our resources for our mission of 'Rebuilding Shattered Lives,'" she said.

A copy of the full report, "Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: Mid-Year 2011 Report," is available at www.LawMemorial.org/ResearchBulletin.  

About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

Founded 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 NLEOMF maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., which contains the names of 19,298 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now working to create the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of law enforcement through exhibits, collections, research and education. For more information, visit www.LawMemorial.org.

About Concerns of Police Survivors

Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc., provides resources to assist in the rebuilding of the lives of surviving families and affected co-workers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty as determined by Federal criteria. Furthermore, C.O.P.S. provides training to law enforcement agencies on survivor victimization issues and educates the public of the need to support the law enforcement profession and its survivors. For more information, visit www.nationalcops.org.

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

SOURCE National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund