Page:Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2002.djvu/94

 rangers were slain in 1998, 1999, and 2002—1 in each year—and 2 U.S. Capitol Police officers were killed in 1998.

Summary of Assaults by Department

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The DHS reported 113 officers were assaulted in 2002, 32 of whom suffered nonfatal personal injuries during the attacks. The BICE (formerly the INS), which provided assault data only for those victims who discharged their service weapons during their assaults, reported 54 victims. In addition, 45 of the 113 DHS officers assaulted were employed by the U.S. Customs Service (USCS) and 14 worked for the U.S. Secret Service (USSS). (See Tables 64 and 68.) (Prior to their move to the DHS, the BICE was included in DOJ data and the USCS and USSS in the Department of the Treasury [DOT] data.)

Of the 113 DHS officers assaulted, 41.6 percent were assigned to patrol or guard duty at the time of the attacks. Those on protection duty comprised 35.4 percent of the victim total, and officers conducting investigations or searches made up 12.4 percent. At the time of the assaults, 1.8 percent of officers were making arrests or serving summonses, 0.9 percent had custody of prisoners, and the remaining 8.0 percent of the officers were assigned to other duties. (Based on Table 69.)

Forty assailants were identified in connection with the assaults on DHS officers. Of those, 20 were awaiting trial at the time of this publication, and prosecution was declined for 9 assailants. Six assailants were found guilty, 3 were awaiting prosecutive opinion, and assault charges were dismissed for 2 assailants. (See Table 70.)

Department of the Interior (DOI)

The DOI reported 160 officers were assaulted in 2002, 74 of whom sustained personal injuries. Ninety-seven of the assault victims were employed by the National Park Service (NPS); 63 of the officers were employed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. One of the 97 NPS officers died as a result of a wound from a firearm. Data concerning weapons used against DOI officers showed that personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.) were used against 107 of the 160 victims. Sixteen officers were attacked with vehicles, 11 with knives or cutting instruments, 6 with firearms, 4 with blunt objects, and 8 with other types of weapons. Additionally, 8 victim officers were threatened. (See Tables 64 and 68.)

Of the 160 DOI officers assaulted, 53.1 percent were making arrests or serving summonses at the time of the attacks. Those assigned to protection duty comprised 18.8 percent of the victim total, and officers conducting investigations or searches made up 15.0 percent. Another 9.4 percent of officers were on patrol or guard duty at the time of assault. The remaining 3.8 percent of the victims included 2 officers who were on office duty, 1 officer who was maintaining custody of a prisoner(s), and 3 officers who were assigned to other duties. (Based on Table 69.)

There were 138 assailants identified in connection with the assaults on DOI officers. Of those, 52 were tried and found guilty, 38 were awaiting trial at the time of this publication, prosecution was declined for 17 assailants, and 16 were awaiting prosecutive opinion. Assault charges were dismissed for 6 assailants, 6 assailants were deceased, and 3 remained fugitives. (See Table 70.)

Department of Justice (DOJ)

In 2002, the DOJ reported assaults on 80 officers, 24 of whom suffered personal injury. Forty-eight of the victims were employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) employed 28 of the victims; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives employed 3 officers; and the U.S. Marshals Service employed 1 officer.

Offenders victimized DOJ officers with personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.) in 17 assaults, firearms in 11 attacks, vehicles in 6 assaults, blunt objects in 6 incidents, and knives or cutting instruments in 2 assaults. Attackers used other types of weapons against 1 officer and threatened 37 officers with violence. (See Table 68.)

The majority, 42.5 percent, of DOJ officers were assigned to office duty when assaulted. Those making arrests or serving summonses accounted for 22.5 percent of the victim total, and those conducting investigations or searches made up 15.0 percent. Officers performing patrol or guard duty comprised 5.0 percent of DOJ officers assaulted, and those with custody of prisoners accounted for 2.5 percent. At the time of the assaults, 12.5 percent were assigned to other duties. (Based on Table 69.)

Forty-eight assailants were identified in connection with the assaults on DOJ officers. Of those, 14 assailants were awaiting trial at the time of this publication, 11 were tried and found guilty, and prosecution was declined for 11 assailants. Eight attackers remained fugitives at the time of this publication, 2 were awaiting prosecutive opinion, and charges were dismissed for 2 assailants. (See Table 70.)

Department of the Treasury (DOT)

The DOT reported that 3 of their officers were assaulted in 2002. All of the assault victims, none of whom experienced personal injury, were employed by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Assailants used miscellaneous ("other") weapons against the 3 TIGTA victims. (See Tables 64 and 68.) All of the DOT officers assaulted were conducting investigations or searches at the time of attack. (See Table 69.)

One assailant was identified in connection with at least 1 assault on DOT officers. Prosecution was declined for this assailant. (See Tables 63 and 70.)

U.S. Capitol Police

The U.S. Capitol Police reported assaults on 10 officers in 2002; 1 of those officers sustained personal injury. Nine of the victims were attacked with 88