Law Enforcement Deaths Up; Firearms Are Now Top Cause

摘要

For 13 years, traffic-related incidents have been the leading cause of fatalities for law enforcement officers. But during the first half of last year, firearms have now outpaced crashes as the primary cause, with 40 officers shot and killed. Following a 25 percent increase in 2010, the number of officer fatalities in the United States continued to rise in the first half of 2011. According to preliminary data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 98 officers were killed in that period, a 14 percent increase.