Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
This morning (Wednesday, 7/21) I had the unfortunate job of editing and posting
this article from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund detailing how officer fatalities have surged in the first half of 2010. Fatalities are up 43% compared to 2009 - and there are simply no words to describe how that feels.
Firearms related fatalities accounted for nearly 36% of officer deaths in the first half of this year. That's more than any other single category. However, if you combine the death counts from auto crashes, officers struck by autos and motorcycle crashes, then
Traffic related fatalities account for 48% of those deaths. As has been documented on this website before: traffic enforcement is easily the most hazardous thing officers do.
So far I've talked about "percentages". That's easy. It's more difficult to think that 87 officers (preliminary data) have died in the line of duty. That's 87 good lives snuffed out; 87 families that now have to live without a husband, a wife, a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother or a sister. Take a moment, as hard as it can be, to look at your own family members and consider how you'd grieve if they were suddenly taken from you by unexpected death.
It concerns me that gunfire death numbers rose 22% from 2008 to 2009 and now are up again 41% from 2009 to 2010. This is a disturbing trend that, to me, indicates the criminal segment of society is more willing than ever to commit violent acts against our law enforcement professionals.
California, Texas and Florida had the most LE deaths - but they're large states and that may "make sense" - as if any LE death makes sense. Thirty states and Puerto Rico all saw officers die in the line of duty so far this year.
The average age of an officer killed is 40 with just over 11 years of service. How many of you fit into those numbers? A staggering 82% of officers killed were female.
There are no words to express how we feel about these deaths. The condolences of Cygnus Business Media and Officer.com goes out to the surviving families. We extend our appreciation for the professional job each of these fallen heroes did and honor their sacrifice - and the sacrifices of the surviving families - through honorable remembrance.
