Nam Knights of America - Law Enforcement - Tundra Chapter Wisconsin

LAW ENFORCEMENT

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.