Duty Deaths Decrease 35% in First Half of 2019

There were 60 line-of-duty deaths of police officers in the first six months of 2019, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

On Wednesday, NLEOMF issued its 2019 Mid-Year Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities Report with preliminary data through June 30, 2019, revealing that 60 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty in 2019—a 35% decrease compared to the same period last year (92).

Of these 60 officers, 27 were killed in firearms-related incidents, 21 were killed in traffic-related incidents, and 12 died due to other causes such as job-related illnesses.

Firearms-related fatalities were the leading cause of law enforcement deaths for the first half of this year, with 27 fatalities in 2019, compared to 31 in the same period in 2018—a decrease of 13%.

Traffic-related fatalities (21) decreased 25% in the first half of 2019 compared to last year (28).

"While we're encouraged to see a 35% decrease in the number of line-of-duty deaths thus far, it's important to remember that even one fallen officer is one too many," said Memorial Fund Interim CEO Lori Sharpe Day. "We hope with a continued emphasis on training as well as programs that focus on officer safety and wellness, we will continue to see a decrease in officer fatalities."