This is a list of U.S. law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Summaries of the overall casualty figures, by year, are also provided.
Overview by year
According to the FBI, which publishes the data in the Uniform Crime Reports, from 1980 to 2014, an average of 64 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed per year. Those killed in accidents in the line of duty are not included in that number.
2010
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 180 deaths in the line of duty. The average from 1990 to 2010 was 164 per year.
2011
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 187 deaths in the line of duty. The FBI reported that in 2011, "69 law enforcement officers from around the nation were killed in the line of duty, while another 53 officers died in accidents while performing their duties." (released November 19, 2012) NBC News reported 165 dead.
2012
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 141 deaths in the line of duty. For 2012, the FBI records 49 deaths in the line of duty. The FBI Fund counted 49 federal, state and local officers to have been killed in 2012.
2013
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 128 deaths in the line of duty. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counted 102 federal, state and local officers to have been killed in 2012. The official count from the FBI is that 27 law enforcement officers were 'feloniously' killed in the line of duty in 2013 (the lowest in a 35-year period 1980–2014), and an additional 49 died in accidents (total: 76).
2014
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 158 deaths in the line of duty. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counted 126 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers killed. The preliminary count from the FBI is that 51 law enforcement officers were 'feloniously' killed in the line of duty in 2014, and an additional 44 died in accidents (total: 95).
2015
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 164 deaths in the line of duty. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counted 124 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers killed. Forty-two officers were shot and killed and 52 officers were killed in traffic-related incidents.
2016
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 171 deaths in the line of duty. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counted 135 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers killed. Sixty-four officers were shot and killed and 21 were ambushed.
2017
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 152 deaths in the line of duty. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counted 128 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers killed. Fatalities decreased more than 10 percent with traffic-related fatalities the leading cause this year. Firearms-related fatalities were the second-leading cause of officer deaths, with 44 officers shot and killed in 2017. This represents a 33 percent decrease from the 66 officers killed in firearm-related incidents during 2016.
2018
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 150 deaths in the line of duty. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counted 144 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers killed. The FBI, however, reported 106 deaths in the line of duty. Firearms-related fatalities were the leading cause of officer deaths for the year.
2019
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 150 deaths in the line of duty. The leading cause of death for 2019 was gunfire at 49 deaths followed by 9/11-related cancers at 24 deaths. The state with the highest number of line-of-duty deaths was New York with 25 followed by Texas with 18.
2020
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 436 deaths in the line of duty. The leading cause of death for 2020 was COVID-19 at 281 deaths followed by gunfire at 46 deaths and 9/11-related cancers with 35 deaths. The state with the largest number of line-of-duty deaths was Texas with 78 followed by New York with 43.
2021
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 633 deaths in the line of duty. The leading cause of death for 2021 was COVID-19 at 454 deaths followed by gunfire at 64 deaths. Fifty-eight officers died in vehicle-related deaths (vehicular homicide, struck by vehicle while on-duty, automobile crash during pursuit). The state with the highest number of line-of-duty deaths was Texas with 107 followed by Florida with 60.
2022
The Officer Down Memorial Page reports 230 deaths in the line of duty. The leading cause of death for 2022 was COVID-19 at 74 deaths followed by gunfire at 60 deaths. The state with the highest number of line-of-duty deaths was Texas with 32.
Lists of officers killed
This list does not include deaths due to the 9/11 attacks.
Prior to 2010
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Gallery
See also
- Law enforcement in the United States
Incidents with multiple policemen killed
- Hurricane Helene
- 2024 Charlotte shootout
- 2024 Burnsville shooting
- 2022 shooting of Kentucky police officers
- 2018 murders of Eric Joering and Anthony Morelli
- 2016 shooting of Baton Rouge police officers
- 2016 shooting of Dallas police officers
- 2016 shootings of Des Moines police officers
- 2014 killings of NYPD officers
- 2014 shooting of Sacramento police officers
- 2014 Las Vegas shootings
- 2014 Alaska State Trooper killings
- 2013 shooting of Santa Cruz police officers
- 2009 shooting of Lakewood, Washington, police officers
- 2009 shooting of Pittsburgh police officers
- 2009 shootings of Oakland police officers
- 2001 September 11 attacks
- 1995 Oklahoma City bombing
- 1993 Waco siege
- 1986 FBI Miami shootout
- 1972–1973 Mark Essex shootings
- 1971 shooting of Dallas police officers
- 1970 Newhall incident
- 1950 Utuado uprising
- 1934 killing of Baby Face Nelson
- 1933 Kansas City Massacre
- 1932 Young Brothers massacre
- 1917 Milwaukee Police Department bombing
- 1902 Will Reynolds shootings
- 1893 Battle of Ingalls
Other nations
- List of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in Canada
- List of British police officers killed in the line of duty
- List of Irish police officers killed in the line of duty
- List of Malaysian police officers killed in the line of duty
- List of New Zealand police officers killed in the line of duty
- List of Singapore police officers killed in the line of duty
Killings by law enforcement
- List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States
- List of law enforcement officers convicted for an on-duty killing in the United States
Notes
References
External links
- Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP)
