“ On September 12 at 1 p.m. a detective with the Ocilla Police Department was fatally wounded as he searched a residence looking for a male wanted in an earlier murder. Following leads on the location of the suspect, the 56-yearold detective, along with other officers, requested and received permission from the occupant to search the residence. While searching a poorly lit bedroom, the veteran detective with over 6 years’ law enforcement experience, found a male hiding in a closet. The 18-year-old suspect shot the victim detective in the chest with a .38-caliber revolver ”

“ The 18-year veteran officer, along with a fellow officer and a police dog, was searching a nearby alley for the robbery suspect. Upon being discovered by the dog, a male opened fire with a 20-gauge semiautomatic shotgun, hitting one officer in the leg and wounding the victim officer in the front, below the waist, in the arms and legs, and fatally in the chest. Other officers at the scene shot and killed the 21-year-old assailant. ”

“ Wearing a badge is a dangerous profession. Since 1987, nearly 700 law enforcement officers have been slain, another 696 killed in duty-related accidents, and over 600,000 assaulted. The welcome news in 1996 was that totals for officers feloniously and accidentally killed were the lowest in over 20 years; the unfortunate news was that still 100 officers lost their lives and over 46,500 were assaulted. While progress is being made, violence remains a serious threat to those who have sworn to protect society. ”

“ During 1996, 4 of 5 law enforcement officers assaulted were on vehicle patrol at the time they were attacked. Fifty-six percent of all assault victims were assigned to 1-officer vehicles, while 25 percent were assigned to 2-officer vehicles. Six percent of those assaulted were on detective or special assignment, and 13 percent were performing other duties. Seventy-three percent of the victims were assisted at the scene of the incident by fellow officers.
Ninety-five percent of all reported assaults on law enforcement officers in 1996 were cleared by arrest or exceptional means. ”

“ One of the other assisting officers fired four shots, three of which struck the woman in the upper body. The investigator and his assailant were transported to the hospital where both later died. The 44-year-old woman was known to have a mental disorder. On December 21 at approximately 7:15 a.m., a 38-year-old officer with the New York City Police Department was mortally wounded during an apparent robbery attempt. Officers responding to a report of a robbery in progress, with shots being fired, discovered the body of a male inside a check cashing establishment. ”

“ Incapacitated, the trooper turned and fled to his patrol car as the man continued to fire at him. The trooper sustained a fatal shot that entered his lower back below his body armor and struck his heart. He fell to the ground at the rear of his vehicle where he was subsequently found dead. A 30-year-old man who had allegedly shot and wounded his mother during an argument earlier in the day was later apprehended after a high speed chase by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. ”

“ For over a quarter of a century, the Uniform Crime Reporting Program has published statistical data concerning homicides, accidental deaths, and assaults committed against law enforcement officers. The information is intended to portray the dangers faced daily by men and women of the law enforcement community so that perhaps more effective countermeasures and safeguards can be developed. ”

“ Law enforcement agencies report figures on assaults resulting in serious injury or instances where a weapon was used which could have caused serious injury or death. Other assaults are recorded only if they involved more than verbal abuse or minor resistance to an arrest. ”

“ The victim officer acknowledged receiving the information, but did not indicate to the dispatcher his location or his intention to perform a traffic stop. According to witnesses, the male began struggling with the victim officer and gained possession of the officer’s 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. Reportedly, he then fired one shot knocking the victim officer to the ground. Standing over the victim officer, he allegedly fired the weapon three more times striking the officer in the chest and lower torso. The victim officer was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. ”

“ A United States Border Patrol agent was slain while attempting an arrest in a drug-related matter. One FBI agent was fatally wounded while working in an undercover capacity. Of all attacks against Justice Department officers, 33 percent were with firearms; 18 percent were with personal weapons; 5 percent with vehicles; 2 percent with knives; and 19 percent with other weapons. Threats comprised 23 percent of the total assaults. When assaulted, 60 percent of the officers were on patrol/guard duty ”

“ The 33-year-old victim agent was shot in the chest by a bullet fired from a .22caliber revolver; however, he managed to wound his alleged assailant in the wrist before the male fled back across the border. Law enforcement officers in Mexico later arrested a 46-year-old suspect. He has been charged with Murder and Narcotics Trafficking. A deputy sergeant with the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Department was shot and killed on May 24 at approximately 2:30 p.m. while attempting to serve a warrant. ”

“ He allegedly began firing numerous shots at the officer from a .223-caliber automatic rifle. The man then pointed his weapon at the complainant who was able to retreat unharmed into her apartment. The man resumed firing at the officer who had fallen to the bottom of the staircase; a total of 30 rounds were fired. The officer, aged 57, was mortally wounded with injuries to his neck, head, and chest. Shortly thereafter, the 36-year-old assailant committed suicide using the same weapon with which he had assaulted the victim officer. ”

“ Of the victims, 33 were employed by city police departments, 16 by county police and sheriffs’ offices, and 2 by state agencies. Three deaths were reported by three federal agencies, and Puerto Rico reported the remaining death. The total was 26 percent lower in 1996 than in 1995 when 74 officers were slain. Comparisons for 5- and 10-year periods showed the number of officers slain in 1996 was 13 percent lower than in 1992 and was 26 percent lower than the 1987 total. Victims Of the 55 officers killed in 1996, 53 were males and 2 were females. The average age of officers slain was 35. ”

“ In all of Section II, the data are based on information from 7,808 law enforcement agencies supplying figures for all 12 months of 1996. These agencies offered services to approximately 166 million inhabitants or 63 percent of the Nation's total population. Tables 25, 27, 32, and 33 are presentations by population groups. The table on page 2 shows the summary of the population coverage and number of agencies represented. Data for the states of Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Montana, South Carolina, Vermont, and the District of Columbia were not available for inclusion in the tabulations. ”

“ Two percent of the assaults were with knives or cutting instruments; 31 percent of these victims received injuries. Eleven percent of the officers were attacked with other dangerous weapons; 40 percent were injured. Circumstances Accounting for 3 of every 10 assaults, responding to disturbance calls (family quarrels, man with gun, bar fights, etc.) resulted in more officer assaults than any other circumstance. ”

“ Among the weapons used against all Treasury officers, personal weapons accounted for 36 percent, vehicles for 9 percent, firearms for 1 percent, knives for 1 percent, blunt objects for 1 percent, and other types of weapons, 1 percent. Threats accounted for 51 percent of the assaults. ”

“ Follow-up investigation revealed that the 20-year-old alleged assailant had been charged with 13 counts of school burglary/trespassing since April of 1995. He was on probation and awaiting sentencing later in the month. The sergeant recovered from his wounds and returned to duty. ”

“ Two officers in 1996 were intentionally struck by vehicles. One officer was stabbed with a knife, and 1 officer was strangled. Body Armor Of 244 officers wearing body armor when slain with firearms during the past 10 years, 155 suffered gunshot wounds to the head; 71 suffered gunshot wounds to the upper torso ”

“ Total Percent distribution1 Northeast New England Middle Atlantic Midwest East North Central West North Central South South Atlantic East South Central West South Central West Mountain Pacific 1
Because of rounding, percentages may not add to 100. ”

“ Of the 973 persons identified, 789 were arrested and charged; 116 were justifiably killed; 1 was murdered in an unrelated incident; 56 commit-ted suicide; and 11 remain fugitives. Ten cases from that timeframe are still pending. ”