Fixty-six law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty last year, the FBI reported today; 72 officers died in accidents while performing their duties; and 53,469 officers were assaulted in the line of duty. The 56 felonious deaths occurred in 22 states and Puerto Rico. The total increased by eight over 2009. Five- and 10-year comparisons show an increase of eight felonious deaths over 2006 and a decrease of 14 compared with 2001.
Of the 56 feloniously killed, 15 were ambushed; 14 were involved in arrest situations; eight were investigating suspicious persons/circumstances; seven were performing traffic stops/pursuits; six were answering disturbance calls; three were involved in tactical situations (e.g., high-risk entry); two were conducting investigative activity such as surveillance, searches, or interviews; and one was killed while transporting or maintaining custody of prisoners. Fifty-five officers were killed with firearms, including 38 handguns, 15 rifles, two with shotguns, and one with a vehicle. Of the 72 officers killed in accidents on duty, 45 were killed in vehicle accidents; the number of accidental line-of-duty deaths was up 24 from 2009.