Page:Law Enforcement Officers 1996.pdf/2

 FOREWORD

Wearing a badge is a dangerous profession. Since 1987, nearly 700 law enforcement officers have been slain, another 696 killed in duty-related accidents, and over 600,000 assaulted. The welcome news in 1996 was that totals for officers feloniously and accidentally killed were the lowest in over 20 years; the unfortunate news was that still 100 officers lost their lives and over 46,500 were assaulted. While progress is being made, violence remains a serious threat to those who have sworn to protect society.

For over a quarter of a century, the Uniform Crime Reporting Program has published statistical data concerning homicides, accidental deaths, and assaults committed against law enforcement officers. The information is intended to portray the dangers faced daily by men and women of the law enforcement community so that perhaps more effective countermeasures and safeguards can be developed. Because the loss of even one life is unacceptable, efforts at understanding the past events and applying that understanding toward the prevention of similar tragedies must continue to be a law enforcement priority.