Law Enforcement Deaths Up Nearly 40 Percent in 2014

Statistics released by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund show that the number of law enforcement deaths across the country have risen drastically through the first five-and-a-half months of 2014 compared with the same period in 2013.

Total fatalities are up to 63 in 2014, a 37-percent increase over the 46 reported through June 16, 2013.

Traffic-related incidents have been leading cause of law enforcement officer deaths in 2014 at 25, up 39 percent over 2013 when they were at 18. Second to traffic are firearm-related incidents at 23, up 53 percent over the 15 reported in 2013.

According to CNN:

The increase comes after two years of declines, including 2013, which saw the lowest number of deaths on duty — 111 — since 1959.

“Other Causes” of death are up 15 percent — from 13 to 15 — over 2013. The “other causes” category has a wide range that includes “job-related illnesses such as heart attacks, falls and other types of accidents,” according to a report CNN.

On a state-to-state basis, California has seen the most law enforcement officer deaths in 2014 at eight, with Florida and Virginia directly following at four apiece. Keep Reading