Page:Law Enforcement Officers 1996.pdf/8

 SECTION I Law Enforcement Officers Killed During 1996, 55 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty. Officers’ deaths were recorded by law enforcement agencies in 23 states and Puerto Rico. Of the victims, 33 were employed by city police departments, 16 by county police and sheriffs’ offices, and 2 by state agencies. Three deaths were reported by three federal agencies, and Puerto Rico reported the remaining death. The total was 26 percent lower in 1996 than in 1995 when 74 officers were slain. Comparisons for 5- and 10-year periods showed the number of officers slain in 1996 was 13 percent lower than in 1992 and was 26 percent lower than the 1987 total. Victims Of the 55 officers killed in 1996, 53 were males and 2 were females. The average age of officers slain was 35. Two of the victims were under the age of 25; 19 were between the ages of 25 and 30; 22 were ages 31 through 40; and 12 were over 40 years of age. Forty-four of the slain officers were white, 8 were black, 2 were Asian, and 1 was a Native American. The law enforcement officers killed in 1996 averaged 8 years of experience. Thirteen officers had over 10 years of law enforcement service; 18 had 5 to 10 years of service; and 21 had 1 to 4 years. Two officers had less than 1 year of law enforcement experience. Law enforcement experience was not reported for one law enforcement officer. Circumstances Surrounding Deaths During 1996, 22 officers lost their lives during arrest situations. A further breakdown

of these situations showed 8 officers were killed by robbery suspects, 3 by suspects during drugrelated situations, 3 by burglary suspects, and 8 by assailants suspected of other crimes. Twelve officers were slain investigating suspicious persons or circumstances; 11 were killed while enforcing traffic laws; 5 were ambushed; 4 were killed upon responding to disturbance calls; and 1 was killed while dealing with a mentally deranged individual. Types of Assignment Figures for 1987 through 1996 also show that the largest percentage of victim officers were assigned to vehicle patrol when they were slain. Fifty-one percent of the vehicle patrol officers were alone and unassisted at the time of their deaths, and 30 percent of the victim officers on other types of assignments were alone and unassisted. Patrol officers accounted for 41 of the 55 victims in 1996. Of those officers killed while on patrol, 31 were assigned to 1-officer vehicles, 9 to 2-officer vehicles, and 1 was on foot patrol. Seven victims were on detective or special assignment, and 7 were off duty but acting in an official capacity. Alleged Assailants In 1996, 53 of 55 slayings of law enforcement officers have been cleared. Of the 74 suspects identified in connection with the murders, 72 were male, 1 was female, and gender was not reported for 1. Thirty-three of the suspects were black and 31 were white. Fifty-four of the 74 alleged assailants were under the age of 31.

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