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Report shows 2021 was deadliest year for law enforcement officers in history

By FOX 5 DC Digital Team
Published  January 11, 2022 5:36pm EST
News
FOX 5 DC

WASHINGTON - Last year was the deadliest year for law enforcement officers in history, according to preliminary data provided by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), the leading authority on officer fatalities.

The organization announced in its official 2021 Law Enforcement Officers Fatalities Report that 458 federal, state, county, municipal, military, campus, tribal, and territorial officers died in the line of duty during the past year, representing a 55% increase over the 295 officers who died in the line of duty in 2020.

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More than half, 301, were COVID-19-related deaths. 

"This time of year always reminds us of the sacrifice of law enforcement and the importance of our mission to honor the fallen, tell the story of American law enforcement, and make it safer for those who serve," said National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund CEO Marcia Ferranto. "The year 2021 will go down as the year of the most line-of-duty fatalities since 1930 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and increases in traffic fatalities and firearms ambushes,"

In addition to the 301 COVID-19 deaths that occurred last year, the report shows 37 officers died from other causes, including 25 who died in the line of duty from heart attacks, strokes, and more health-related illnesses. 

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Firearm-related fatalities jumped from 45 officers shot in 2020 to 62 officers in 2021. Traffic-related deaths increased 38% to 58 deaths, compared to 42 deaths in 2020.

Only 10 states and the District of Columbia did not lose an officer this year. 

Check out more highlights from the 2021 Law Enforcement Officers Fatalities Report below: 

Top 6 States with the Largest Number of Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities

  • Texas experienced the largest number of law enforcement officer fatalities of all U.S. states with 84 line-of-duty deaths.
  • Florida had the second-highest number with 52 officer deaths.
  • Georgia had the third-highest number with 39 officer deaths.
  • California had the fourth-highest number with 24 officer deaths.
  • North Carolina had the fifth-highest number with 21 officer deaths.
  • Tennessee had the sixth-highest number with 18 officer deaths.