legally speaking - Justice Institute of British Columbia

Volume 11 Issue 1 - January/February 2011
U.S. ON-DUTY DEATHS INCREASE
U.S. On-Duty Deaths by Year (2001-2010)
PAGE 17
U.S. Peace Officer On-Duty Deaths
Cause 2010 2009
9/11 Related illness - 5
Accidental 1 1
Aircraft accident 2 4
Assault 5 1
Automobile accident 44 34
Duty related illness - 4
Boating accident 1 -
Drowned 2 -
Fall 2 1
Gunfire 59 47
Gunfire (accidental) 2 2
Heart attack 13 10
Heat exhaustion 1 -
Motorcycle accident 5 3
Struck by vehicle 7 8
Training accident 1 -
Vehicle pursuit 4 3
Vehicular assault 12 9
Total 161 132
Year 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 Total
Deaths 163 132 149 199 159 165 165 148 159 242 1,681
Avg. age 41 39 40 39 38 38 40 37 39 38
Avg. tour 11 yrs.
9 mos.
11 yrs,
5 mos
During 2010 the U.S. lost 163
peace officers, up 29 from 2009.
The top cause of death was
g u n f i r e ( 5 9 ) f o l l owed by
automobile accidents (44),
vehicular assault (13) and heart
attack (13).
The state of Texas lost the most
officers at 19 - once again losing the most officers for the fifth
consecutive year - followed by California (11), U.S. Government
(11), Illinois (10), Florida (9),
Georgia (9), Louisiana (6),
Maryland (5), Mississippi (5), and
Missouri (5). The average age of
deceased officers was 40 years
while the average tour of duty
was 11 years and 9 months
service. Men accounted for
almost 96% of officer deaths
while women made up 4 %.
11 yrs,
9 mos
11 yrs,
4 mos
Females
4%
Males
96%
Source: http://www.odmp.org/year.php [accessed February 19, 2010]
“It Is Not How These Officers Died That
Made Them Heroes.
It Is How They Lived.”
Inscription at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial,
Washington, D.C.
11 yrs,
5 mos
11 yrs,
1 mos
12 yrs,
10 mos
10 yrs,
4 mos
10 yrs,
10 mos
11 yrs,
Female 7 2 12 9 9 5 9 6 15 12 86
Male 154 130 137 190 150 160 156 142 144 230 1,595
4 mos