Sheriff Clarke Pushes for Federal Death Penalty for Cop Killers

In the wake of the latest deadly attack on police officers in the United States, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke said the government needs to take a tougher line with cop killers, PJ Media reports.

On Wednesday, Americus police Officer Nicholas Smarr, age 25, and Georgia Southwestern State University public saftery officer Jody Smith, age 26, were allegedly shot by career criminal Minquell Kennedy Lembrick after responding to a domestic disturbance call . Both officers sadly succumbed to their injuries -- Smarr shortly after the incident and Smith on Thursday evening .

That brings the total police deaths this year by gunfire to 62, an increase of 72% over last year, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Lembrick was found barricaded in a home in Americus on Thursday with a self-inflicted gunshot to his head.

On Thursday morning, while Lembrick was still on the run, Sheriff Clarke appeared on "Fox & Friends" and said, "The federal government - the federal court system - should enact a death penalty for these cases, and they should go through the federal system," he said. "And upon conviction they should be put to death."