FBI Releases Data on Officers Killed in Line of Duty in 2017

Coinciding with the observance of Police Week 2018, the FBI this week released the report of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2017.

The report shows a decrease in the number of officers killer in the line of duty nationally, with 93 total deaths in 2017, 46 of which were felonious, and the other 47 of which were accidental. In 2016, those figures were 66 and 52, respectively.

According to the FBI’s data, of those officers feloniously killed:

The average age was 38 years old, with an average tenure of 11 years in law enforcement.

• Forty-three of the officers were men, and three were women.

• Most of the officers (42) were killed by firearms, three were killed by vehicles (used as weapons), and one officer was killed with a knife.

Of those accidentally killed:

• The average age was 40 years old, with an average tenure of 12 years in law enforcement.

• Forty-five were men, and two were women.

• The most common accidental deaths were automobile accidents (29), being struck by vehicles (six), or motorcycle/ATV accidents (five).

The 2017 release of the data will be segmented, unlike previous years, with the FBI touting the further release of “data on officer assaults in the line of duty for 2017…later this year” The FBI also notes the database responsible for providing the LEOKA data has been upgraded with a number of new features.

President Trump also released a statement remember those law enforcement officers lost in the line of duty. In a speech to the 37th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service, Trump said, “Every drop of blood spilled from our heroes in blue is a wound inflicted upon the whole country.”