TULSA, Okla., Jan. 3, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Preliminary numbers* indicate 105 law enforcement officers lost their lives in the line of duty in 2013—the lowest number of line-of-duty deaths (LODDs) since 1944. As a founding partner in the Below 100 initiative, Law Officer magazine is proud to contribute to the concerted and sustained effort to reduce officer LODDs and believes this program is having a significant effect on enhancing officer safety. LODDs were 123 in 2012 and 177 in 2011, the first year that Below 100 training was offered.
Below 100 is an initiative introduced by Law Officer magazine, a leading Pennwell publication, to reduce LODDs to less than 100 annually. On average, more than 160 officers died annually in the twenty years preceding Below 100's rollout. Recognizing that law enforcement will never be risk free, Below 100 focuses on areas under an officer's control that have been responsible for claiming the lives of countless law enforcement personnel.
Through extensive research and input from law enforcement trainers, five key tenets were identified that comprise the Below 100 program:
1. Wear Your Belt.
2. Wear Your Vest.
3. Watch Your Speed.
4. WIN – What's Important Now?
5. Remember: Complacency Kills!
Law Officer Editor-in-chief Dale Stockon said, "No one wearing a badge today has ever seen a year with a lower level of loss than what we experienced in 2013! Our mission has always been to provide resources and training to law enforcement personnel and Below 100 has become a key part of that mission. This is an incredible program and is presented by a dedicated group of volunteers who donate their time and expertise. All of them are career law enforcement professionals and many are long-time contributors to Law Officer. They are truly making a difference and I can think of no higher calling than providing life-saving training to those who wear a badge and stand in the gap for others."
Since the first Below 100 training presentation in 2011, nearly fifty train-the-trainer courses have been presented around the country to thousands of officers – all by volunteers. Those attending the classes have been responsible for passing on the message to countless fellow officers and Below 100 has become a common term in law enforcement. As one officer recently commented on Facebook, "If you haven't heard of Below 100, you've been living under a rock!" More classes are currently being scheduled for 2014 and you can find more information on the program at www.Below100.com .
* Note: The preliminary death toll for 2013 is 105 according to our partners at the Officer Down Memorial Page. We use the term preliminary because both ODMP and the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund go through a period of review after the close of the year. Inevitably, the numbers change slightly and the organizations usually end up with slightly different numbers because there are minor differences in the criteria for inclusion. Since we have worked with ODMP since Below 100 began, we have used their numbers for consistency and year-to-year comparison. Regardless of the final number, 2013 will be the lowest on record with ODMP since 1944!
About PennWell
Founded in 1910 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, PennWell Corporation is a privately held and highly diversified business-to-business media and information company that provides quality content and integrated marketing solutions for the following industries: Oil and gas, electric power generation and delivery, hydropower, renewable energy, water and wastewater treatment, waste management, electronics, optoelectronics, fiber-optics, aerospace and avionics, LEDs and lighting, fire and emergency services, public safety, and dental. PennWell publishes over 130 print and online magazines and newsletters, conducts 60 conferences and exhibitions on six continents, and has an extensive offering of books, maps, websites, research and database services. In addition to PennWell's headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma and significant presence in Houston, Texas to serve the global oil and gas industry, the Company has major offices in Nashua, New Hampshire; London, England; San Diego and Mountain View, California; Fairlawn, New Jersey; Moscow, Russia; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Hong Kong, China.