Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: Preliminary 2011

Research Bulletin
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Firearms-related Incidents are the Leading Cause of Officer Fatalities in 2011

Total Law Enforcement Fatalities Rise to 173 Officers Killed in 2011
According to preliminary data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 173 officers have been killed during 2011 up 13 percent from 153 line-of-duty deaths in 2010. Total Fatalities: 1961-2011

A Closer Look: Chiefs & Sheriffs

Chief Ralph Painter Rainer (OR) Police Department Chief of Police Painter was shot and killed responding to a report of an auto theft in progress. Upon arriving at the scene, the suspect attacked Chief Painter and took the gun from his duty belt. The suspect shot Chief Painter who was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead. Chief Jerry Hicks Leadwood (MO) Police Department Chief of Police Hicks died as a result of injuries sustained in a single-vehicle crash when his patrol vehicle slid on a patch of ice and struck a tree. Chief Capers Wannamaker, Jr. St. Matthews (SC) Police Department Chief Wannamaker lost control of his patrol vehicle on a curved part of the roadway which caused the vehicle to veer off of the road and strike a tree. Chief Wannamaker died at the scene. Sheriff James Stewart Spalding County (GA) Sheriffs Department Sheriff Stewart was on routine patrol when he attempted to cross an intersection and collided with a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. Sheriff Stewart was airlifted to a hospital where he remained until his death 10 days later.

For the first time in 14 years, more officers died from firearms-related incidents than trafficrelated incidents. Sixtyeight officers were shot and killed in 2011, up 15 percent from 2010 when 59 officers died from gunfire. The number of officers killed by firearms has now risen during each of the past three years. Traffic-related incidents claimed the lives of 64 officers this year, a 10 percent decrease from 2010 when 71 officers died on the roadway. This year, 44 officers were killed in automobile crashes, 11 officers were struck and killed, seven were killed in motorcycle crashes, and two officers were killed by train while in their automobile. Florida led the nation with 14 fatalities, closely followed by Texas (13), New York (11), California (10) and Georgia (10). Thirty-three percent of all officer fatalities occurred in these five states. The New York City Police Department and Puerto Rico Police Department both lost four officers the most officers of any agency in 2011. In addition to firearm and traffic-related deaths, 41 officers died due to other causes including physical-related incidents, which accounted for 27 officer fatalities. Physical-related incidents include heart attacks and other illnesses, which are further explained on page four of this bulletin.
The data and statistics contained in this report are preliminary and do not represent a final or complete list of individual officers who will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in 2012.

Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: Preliminary 2011 Report

Firearms-related Fatalities: 2011

In 2011, more law enforcement officers died in firearms-related incidents than any other cause for the first time in 14 years. Sixty-eight officers were shot and killed, a 15 percent increase from 2010 when 59 officers were shot. There have been 4,162 law enforcement officer fatalities due to firearms-related incidents in the last 50 years. The deadliest year was 1973 when 156 officers were shot and killed. Since the 1970s, firearms-related incidents have decreased, reaching a 50 year low in 2008 when 40 officers were shot and killed. Average Firearms-related Incidents Per Decade However, firearms-related fatalities have increased 70 percent from 2008 to 2011. This years total also represents a 19 percent increase from the decade average of 57 fatalities from 2001-2010. Of the 19,298 officers killed in the line-of-duty from the first known fatality in 1791 until 2010, there have been 10,876 officers shot and killed 56 percent of all line-of-duty deaths in the nation. Firearms-related Fatalities: 1961-2011

Circumstances of Fatal Shootings: 2011 Of the 68 officers killed by gunfire this year, 14 officers died while attempting to arrest suspects. Nine officers each died responding to domestic disturbance calls or while investigating suspicious persons and circumstances. Other officers were shot while handling mentally deranged persons (2) , tactical/hostage/barricaded offender situations (2) , handling/transporting and custody of prisoners (2) and in traffic pursuits (1). Four multiple-fatality, cluster-killing incidents (when two or more officers were shot and killed) occurred in 2011 two in Florida (St. Petersburg and Miami-Dade), one incident in Grundy, VA and one incident in Rapid City, SD.

Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: Preliminary 2011 Report

Traffic-related Fatalities: 2011

For the first time in 14 years, traffic-related fatalities were lower than firearms-related fatalities, with 64 officers killed in 2011 a 10 percent decrease from 2010 when 71 officers were killed. This tied 2005 for the secondlowest number of officers killed on the roadway in the last 15 years. Forty-four officers were killed in automobile crashes, 11 were struck and killed, seven were killed in motorcycle crashes and two were struck and killed by a train while in an automobile. Auto crashes decreased 12 percent from 50 to 44. Officers struck and killed decreased 21 percent, from 14 officers in 2010 to 11 this year. Traffic-related Fatalities:1961-2011

Average Traffic Fatalities per Decade: 1961-2011

Despite the decrease in officers killed in traffic-related incidents this year, the overall trend has continued to rise since the 1960s, which averaged 60 officer fatalities on the roadway each year. The average in the 2000s was 72 officer fatalities due to traffic-related incidents a 20 percent increase over the past fifty years. The deadliest year for law enforcement officers on the road remains 2007 when 85 officers died in trafficrelated incidents.

Geographic Distribution of Officer Fatalities: 2011

Forty-one states lost an officer in 2011. Florida lost 14 officers, the highest total of all states. Texas (13), New York (11), California (10) and Georgia (10) round out the top five states. Ten Federal officers and four officers from U.S. territories were killed. The 10 Federal officers were from the following agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Dept. of States with four or more fatalities the Interior, National Park Service, U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Park Police. States with at least one fatality States with no fatalities
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Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: Preliminary 2011 Report

Other Causes of Officer Deaths: 2011

A Closer Look: Physical-related Incidents

Police Officer Daniel Ackerman Buena Park (CA) Police Department Police Officer Ackerman died of a heat stroke after completing a SWAT physical fitness test the previous day. After finishing the exercise, Officer Ackerman displayed symptoms of over-exertion and was transported to a nearby hospital. Officer Ackerman remained in the hospital until his death the following morning. Officer Rogerio Morales Davie (FL) Police Department

Physical-related incidents were the third highest leading cause of officer fatalities in 2011, with 27 officer fatalities, up from 14 fatalities in 2010 a 93 percent increase. This includes other illnesses (13), heart attacks (12) and officers succumbing to injuries sustained in years prior (2). Other causes of officer fatalities include: aircraft accidents, beatings, bomb-related incidents, being crushed, drowning, electrocution, falls, stabbings and strangulations.
Demographic Profile: Race/Ethnicity Caucasian African American Hispanic Native American Asian American Unknown Rank Police Officer Deputy Sheriff Sergeant Trooper Patrolman Correctional Officer Detective Agent Captain Chief Corporal 136 16 17 1 1 2 Total Fatalities 59 27 14 10 7 6 6 4 4 3 3 Rank Senior Police Officer Border Patrol Agent Deputy Marshal Lieutenant Park Ranger Reserve Deputy Sheriff Special Agent Constable Detective Corporal District Administrator Game Warden Pilot Total Fatalities 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 Gender Female Male Average Age Average Years of Service 11 162 41 13 Jurisdiction Municipal Officers 91 County Officers State Officers Federal Officers 45 23 10

Officer Morales collapsed during SWAT team tryouts due to hyperthermia. Officer Morales had participated in a physical agility test, which involved a half-mile run and two obstacle courses. Approximately fifteen minutes into the course, Officer Morales had scaled a rope suspended above the ground, when he dismounted and became unresponsive. Officer Morales was transported to the hospital where he remained until his death three days later.

Territorial Officers 4

This Research Bulletin was produced by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, in conjunction with Concerns of Police Survivors.
Rank Investigator Master Patrolman Master Public Safety Officer Officer Parole Officer Patrol Officer Probation Officer Public Safety Officer Senior Officer Specialist Sheriff Undersheriff Total Fatalities 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

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