In 2015, 129 U.S. law enforcement officers (state, local, tribal, and federal) tragically died in the line-of-duty. This figure is down approximately 3% from 2014 during which there were 133 fatalities. Of the 129:
- 49 were the result of traffic and motor vehicle-related incidents
- 41 were the result of firearms-related incidents
- 18 were the result of fatal heart attacks
- 21 officers died from other causes, average age was 40
- Average length of service was 12.5 years
- 92 percent of the fallen were male officers, 8 percent were female
Among the 49 traffic and motor vehicle-related fatalities:
- 28 officers died in automobile accidents
- 4 officers died in motorcycle accidents
- 5 officers died in crashes during vehicular pursuits
- 5 officers were fatally struck by other vehicles (non-feloniously)
- 7 officers died in felonious vehicular incidents (including those involving intoxicated drivers)
Traffic-related fatalities, whether resulting from automobile crashes or officers being struck on the side of the road while conducting traffic stops, continue to account for a glaring percentage of line-of-duty deaths each year despite being significantly down from previous decades. These incidents continue to account for the majority of officer fatalities and they are largely preventable . The IACP has produced roll-call videos, developedresolutions, and continues to highlight new and pertinent findings and reports from the field to assist law enforcement leaders in better addressing officer traffic safety issues.
Among the 41 firearms-related fatalities:
- 7 officers were killed as part of domestic complaints
- 6 officers were killed during traffic stops
- Perpetrators used handguns in the majority of fatal assaults against officers