Law Enforcement Line-of-Duty Deaths Rose 20 Percent during First Half of 2009

Multiple-death shootings, rise in traffic-related deaths contribute to
increase; fatalities still remain low when compared with recent years

WASHINGTON, July 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --After reaching a nearly 50-year
low in 2008, the number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty
jumped 20 percent during the first six months of 2009. Still, officer
fatalities in the United States remain low when compared with mid-year totals
in recent history, according to a new report from the National Law Enforcement
Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.).

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090112/DC57979LOGO)

Preliminary statistics compiled by the NLEOMF indicate that 66 law enforcement
officers died in the line of duty between January 1 and June 30, 2009,
compared with 55 officer deaths during the first six months of 2008. A total
of 133 officers died in the line of duty in all of 2008, the lowest annual
total since 1960.

Even with this year's increase, the preliminary 2009 figure was the second
lowest mid-year total since 1965, when there were also 55 fatalities. The 2009
total was 13 percent lower than the average mid-year fatality count over the
previous 10 years, which was 76.

"While it is encouraging that officer fatalities remain comparatively low, the
2009 figures do present some cause for concern," said NLEOMF Chairman and CEO
Craig W. Floyd. "Officers continue to face serious threats from armed
offenders who don't think twice about opening fire on law enforcement. That
was tragically illustrated by the horrific multiple-death incidents this year
in Oakland, Pittsburgh and Okaloosa County, Florida," he said.

"Those dangers, coupled with the fact that far too many law enforcement
officers are dying on our roadways in traffic-related incidents, many of which
involve drunk drivers, show that we still have a long way to go in ensuring
that our officers can do their jobs as safely and effectively as possible,"
Mr. Floyd added.

The number of officers shot and killed rose slightly this year, from 20 in the
first half of 2008 to 22 in the first six months of 2009. This year's figure
includes nine officers who were gunned down in three separate incidents that
occurred within a five-week period this spring. Four Oakland (CA) Police
officers were killed March 21; three officers from Pittsburgh (PA) were
fatally shot April 4; and two deputies with the Okaloosa County (FL) Sheriff's
Office were gunned down April 25.

"With every law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty, names must be
engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the membership
of surviving families and affected co-workers seeking support through Concerns
of Police Survivors regrettably grows. Each year, more and more family and
co-worker survivors look to C.O.P.S. for assistance to rebuild their shattered
lives," said C.O.P.S. National President Jennifer Thacker.

"While my heart aches each time a law enforcement officer dies in the line of
duty, I find solace to know that those families, affected co-workers, and
agencies will be embraced in the law enforcement family, and they will be
comforted with a lifetime of support during their grief walk through
C.O.P.S.," added Mrs. Thacker. Her husband, Investigator Brandon Thacker of
the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, was shot and killed in
the line of duty in April 1998.

Other findings from the report include the following:

-- The number of officers killed in traffic-related incidents increased
17
percent during the first six months of 2009, from 30 to 35.
Traffic-related incidents -- automobile and motorcycle crashes and
instances in which officers are struck while outside their police
vehicles -- remain the leading cause of death among law enforcement
officers in the United States, a trend that began 12 years ago. At
least
six traffic-related deaths this year have involved drunk drivers.

-- Eight officers succumbed to job-related physical ailments during the
first half of 2009, double the number during the first six months of
2008. In addition, one officer died in a helicopter crash this year.

-- Twenty-four states experienced at least one law enforcement fatality
during the first six months of 2009. Florida had seven fatalities;
California, Pennsylvania and Texas had six each. Three federal law
enforcement officers also died this year.

-- All 66 officers killed during the first half of 2009 were men. By
contrast, nearly 10 percent of the officers killed in all of 2008 were
women, the highest percentage in history.

The statistics released by the NLEOMF and C.O.P.S. 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 for 2009. The report, "Law
Enforcement Officer Deaths, Mid-Year 2009 Report," is available at
www.nleomf.org/TheMemorial/Facts/2009MidYearReport.pdf.

About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit
organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America's law
enforcement officers and to promoting officer safety. The NLEOMF maintains the
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, which contains
the names of 18,661 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S.
history. The Memorial Fund is now working to create the first-ever National
Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of American law enforcement
through high-tech, interactive exhibitions, historical artifacts and extensive
educational programming. For more information, visit www.LawMemorial.org.

About Concerns of Police Survivors
Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc., provides resources to assist in the
rebuilding of the lives of surviving families and affected co-workers of law
enforcement officers killed in the line of duty as determined by Federal
criteria. Furthermore, C.O.P.S. provides training to law enforcement agencies
on survivor victimization issues and educates the public of the need to
support the law enforcement profession and its survivors. For more
information, visit www.nationalcops.org.

CONTACT:
Kevin Morison
(202) 737-7134 or (202) 288-7029
kevin@nleomf.org

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click
appropriate link.
Craig W. Floyd
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=38696

SOURCE National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

Kevin Morison, +1-202-737-7134 or +1-202-288-7029, kevin@nleomf.org