U.S. Police Officers

[MA-Caver]

154 Officers Died in Line of Duty in 2004

Tue Dec 28,10:25 AM ET

WASHINGTON - Law enforcement organizations reported Tuesday that 154 officers died in the line of duty in 2004, nearly half of them in traffic-related accidents.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and Concerns of Police Survivors said the statistics for 2004 were compiled from reports through Dec. 24.

Seventy-two local, state and federal officers died from traffic-related accidents while 57, about one-third, died from shootings, the organizations said. A variety of causes led to the other deaths.

"Better driver training, safer automobiles and the increased use of bullet-resistant vests and less-lethal weapons are just some of the measures that must be taken to help prevent our officers from being killed while preserving public safety," Craig W. Floyd, chairman of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, said in a statement.

The number of deaths this year was 6 percent higher than the 145 reported killed in 2003 but nearly equaled the 153 killed in 2002, according to the groups' statistics.

In a six-year period, 1995-2000, officer deaths averaged 159 per year. In 2001, the year of the Sept. 11 attacks, 234 officers died in the line of duty.

This year, the four most populous states led the nation with officer fatalities in double digits: California with 15, Texas with 14, Florida with 12, and New York with 11.

Eight of the 154 officers who died across the nation were women, the organizations said. Eight federal officers were killed in the line of duty in 2004, compared with just one the previous year.

My room-mate was telling me he watched something on one of the educational channels that listed the Top 10 Most Dangerous Jobs In the World (or U.S. he couldn't remember). He said that he was shocked that Police Officers and Firefighters didn't even make the top 10.
Still, despite these statistics one must honor those who died in service in protecting our rights, our lives, our properties.
:asian:

This is the report CNN posted on their website.

 

[Gin-Gin]

Still, despite these statistics one must honor those who died in service in protecting our rights, our lives, our properties.
:asian:

So true...
. :asian:

 

[Tgace]

http://www.nleomf.com/TheMemorial/facts.htm

 

[The Prof]

Thank you for the stats. I am a former NYC Police Officer. For the past 9 years I have been the Chief of Chaplains for a local Police Department here in South Florida.

It is amazing that Police and Fire personnel are not in the top ten most dangerous jobs. But then those who compile those lists do not have any clue as to what the job entails.

You can check www.ODMP.com (Officer Down Memorial Page) which will give you daily stats on deaths of police officers.

When I wen on the job in 1965 the startng salary was $8,600 per year. Not alot of money for what was expected.

 

[Tgace]

Id be fairly certain that if you took the total # of people who served in the US armed forces and compared it to the number of people killed in combat, you would find that being a Soldier, Marine etc. was a fairly "safe" job too. Who here would look at that statistic and volunteer to go serve in Iraq?

 

[punisher73]

If I remember right, I read something about how they determine the "most dangerous" and it was a couple of things that make it very skewed.

For example, garbage man used to be listed as the most dangerous job in the world. Why? Not through the inherent risk that the job requires such as LEO or Military but the amount of injuries that occur on the job. What you had was alot of garbage men throwing their backs out and if you look at the total number or garbage men vs. LEOs in most cities who has the higher percentage, and who will have the higher percentage of injuries vs. total personnel?




DISCLAIMER: Yes, I know that there are dangers to garbage men as well above and beyond throwing out their back lifting. I worked with a guy whose brother was hit by a car and lost his leg because of it when he worked as a garbage man.

 

[sifu nick]

Unfortunately, that number has just gone up one. A Newington, CT Police Officer of 17 yrs was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic call. There is an article on officer.com about the incidents. This one hits closer to home for me since that town is only 30 mins. from me.

 

[Cujo]

On average, a l.e.o is killed in the line of duty every 53.5 hours. That averages out to approx. 164 per year. As of 09/29/05, 17,081 l.e.o's have been killed in the line of duty. These are USA stats.
Pax
Cujo:asian: