The Facts
Based on the recently released FBI LEOKA - Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report:
"A total of 118 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2016. Of those deaths, 52 were accidental and 66 were felonious. All of these numbers increased from 2015, when 45 officers died accidentally and 41 were feloniously killed in the line of duty.”
That's a 46% increase in officers feloniously killed.
Over the last ten years officer assaults have declined from 61,257 in 2007 down to 50,991 in 2015.
In 2016, (57,180) officers were assaulted
That’s an increase of 6,189 officers in one year!
In 2016, (2,377) officers were assaulted with firearms 11.9% were injured *This was the highest number of officers assaulted with firearms in the last ten years
In 2016, (1,096) officers were assaulted with knives or other edged weapons with 10.8% injured *This was the largest number of officers assaulted with knives/edged weapons in the last ten years
In 2016, (9,122) officers were assaulted with "Other dangerous weapons" with 23.3% injured *This was the highest number of officers assaulted in this category over the last ten years
Meanwhile, according to the FBI Uniform Crime Report violent crime is up:
· Murder up 8.6% from 2015
· Rape up 4.9%
· Aggravated Assault up 5.1%
· Robbery up 1.2%
Bombarded by all sides over the last few years – PERF, BLM, US Department of Justice, Academia, current and former chiefs.
Crime Increases, Officers Killed and Assaulted and the Causes
Let me state it right out front, “I believe that violent crime, officers killed and assaulted increases is a direct result of the war on cops.” The “Ferguson Effect” is a very real thing and the numbers of LE officers attacked increased last year and is, in my opinion, the result of the media, politicians, leftist academia, and special interest groups like PERF and BLM, vilifying police officers for the last several years.
In light of the very real threat LEO’s face on the streets of America, we are bombarded by the nonsensical, such as Professor Franklin Zimring and the red herring “21 foot rule.”
Now, PERF brought this up in their 30 Principles with #16. Let me state this, I have never heard, in countless training sessions I’ve attended including intense study of edged weapon defense, the “21-foot rule.” I read Dennis Tueller’s original piece on the subject in SWAT magazine oh-so-many years ago. I’ve also received training on advanced study of the subject by Ray Rheingans and the late Tom Hontz. I’ve read my friend, Mas Ayoob’s, book Deadly Force in which he writes, “(Chapter 4): "For thirty years, Tueller had to watch his work occasionally bastardized and misinterpreted by others. People began to refer to the '21-Foot Rule, and to read it as "shoot him if he's closer, don't shoot him if he's farther."
I’ve also read further nonsensical writings such as former chief of police Mel Tucker, “It’s time trainers stop teaching officers the “21 foot rule” and start telling officers the truth about the real risks they face from a suspect with a knife. Why, because the fear of serious bodily harm or death from stabbing is an “unreasonable fear.” Defense Against Edged Weapons and “Unreasonable Fear” (2014; ILEETA Journal)
Recently when this topic came up in an online discussion on the subject, within days this video was released of a deputy from Sequoyah County, Oklahoma being stabbed from a sex offender who had been hiding under piles of clothes in a cluttered bedroom. *Question for all those doubters of edged weapons threats and the time it takes to assault with a knife, do we need to conduct studies of how fast a subject can climb out from underneath a pile of clothes and run three steps stabbing a deputy? Then just a few days later, this news report was posted on Officer.com with San Bernardino County Sheriff's Sgt. Kimberly Watkins being stabbed twice by an EDP.
As far as edged weapons attacks on police, let’s remind ourselves of the increasing threat with last year’s attacks with knives or other cutting instruments exceeding the previous ten years! Far from being a “non-issue” it is something that is a very real threat and is increasing!
“De-escalation” and It’s Impact on Officer Safety
Every freaking place you look, American police are being hit over the head with the concept of “de-escalation.” It is my belief that this focus and policies which incorporate de-escalation are directly responsible for officer hesitation and trepidation on use of force. For instance, in the above video link from Sequoyah, Oklahoma, we see two officers attempt de-escalation and less-lethal in face of a deadly threat, a hyper-violent criminal suspect armed with a knife who is yelling, “Shoot me! Shoot me!”
We’ve dealt with this deadly phenomenon before pointing out the dangers of dealing with armed subjects. Yet, this focus by the media, academia, PERF, and ignorant police commentators creates the very deadly delay and hesitation which costs officers lives!
Training which focuses on officers going home at the end of their shift and surviving the streets has even been attacked over the last few years! Despite the fact that this type of training along with body armor and improved trauma care is directly responsible for less officers being killed today than in the 1980’s!
What moron would equate officer safety training with something negative?
End Game
“With friends like these, who needs enemies?”
So to all the “police reformers”, social justice warriors and anti-law enforcement crowd who have their collective heads up their derrieres. To all the political chiefs who want to appease the politics of force at the expense of their troops. To the all the anti-cop crowd in the former administration’s DOJ. To all the media who ignore the facts in pursuit of agenda. To BLM who ignores facts and realities while attempting to advance their Marxist agenda.
Your actions have contributed to the increase in officers killed and assaulted. Blood is on your hands. Violent crime is up because of your actions.
You are a major threat to the safety of American police officers.
You are a threat against us.
