By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
DENVER — The number of in the line of duty federal and local law enforcement fatalities could hit a five decade low this year, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
The fund said law enforcement deaths, which increased in the first half of 2009, declined sharply in the third quarter, dropping from 43 in 2008 to 26.
To sum it up: As of Oct. 2, there were 92 officer fatalities this year compared to 99 in 2008. In all, in 2008, 133 law enforcement agents and officers died in the line of duty, the lowest figure since 1960, the fund said.
The stats were released this week here in Denver at the National Association of Chiefs of Police Conference.
According to the preliminary data:
- Traffic related deaths declined this year by mor than 12 percent.
- The number of officers killed by gunfire increased slightly this year from 34 in 2008 to 36 this year during the same period.
- No female officers were killed this year. In 2008, women made up 10 percent of the deaths.
