WASHINGTON, July 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund issued a new 2018 Mid-Year Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities Report with preliminary data through June 30, 2018, revealing that 73 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty in 2018—a seven percent increase over the same period last year (65).
Of these 73 officers, 31 were killed in firearms-related incidents, 27 were killed in traffic-related incidents, and 15 died due to other causes such as job-related illnesses.
Key Facts
• Firearms-related fatalities were the leading cause of law enforcement deaths for the first half of this year, with 31 fatalities in 2018, compared to 25 in the same period in 2017—an increase of 24 percent. Notably, eight of these deaths occurred during an attempt to arrest a suspect, six officers were killed responding to domestic disturbance calls, and three officers were killed as a result of being ambushed. Additional circumstances are included in the 2018 Mid-Year Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities Report.
• Traffic-related fatalities (27) increased slightly in the first half of 2018 compared to last year (26). Eleven of these fatalities were the result of multiple-vehicle automobile crashes; nine were the result of single-vehicle crashes and seven officers were struck while outside of their vehicles.
• Fifteen officers died of other causes, the majority of which were job-related illnesses. That's down 17 percent from the 18 deaths attributed to other causes during the same time period in 2017.
• Florida leads the country in officer fatalities, losing seven officers in the line of duty for the first half of 2018; New York, North Carolina and Texas each lost four officers. California, Kentucky, Ohio, and South Carolina each lost three officers as of June 30, 2018.
• The National Law Enforcement Museum at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building, a project of the Memorial Fund, is scheduled to open October 13, 2018 in Washington, DC. The Museum's goal is to expand and enrich the relationship shared by law enforcement and the communities they serve, while providing visitors a "walk in the shoes" experience.
Supporting Quote
“Law enforcement officers put their badges on each day and work to keep citizens and communities safe" said Memorial Fund CEO Craig W. Floyd. “With 73 officers having made the ultimate sacrifice already this year, this report serves as an important reminder of the debt of gratitude that we owe the 900,000 men and women who serve in law enforcement each day. It's important for our citizenry to protect America's peace officers with the same dedication and commitment they show each day in protecting us.”
A copy of the full report, “2018 Mid-Year Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities Report,” is available at www.LawMemorial.org/FatalitiesReport.
About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit organization dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. The Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, which contains the names of 21,541 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now building the National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of American law enforcement by providing visitors a “walk in the shoes” experience. The Museum is working to expand and enrich the relationship shared by law enforcement and the community through the Museum’s educational journeys, immersive exhibitions, and insightful programs. For more information, visit www.LawMemorial.org.