Police Deaths Rise Sharply

Police Deaths Rise Sharply

www.msnbc.msn.com

Police officials and law enforcement groups Thursday blamed a sharp increase in the number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty on more violent criminals who have access to deadlier weapons.


Statistics released Thursday showed that 101 local and federal law enforcement officers died on duty in the first half of the year, 31 more than had died at the same time last year. It was the first time in three decades that the toll had reached more than 100.

(visit the link for the full news article)


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www.upi.com

When I was reading this it also made me think back to all the reading I have been doing about loosing freedoms. The conspiracy is that the government is continuing to take our freedoms. To do so with the public approval they need a reason. If the police are being killed while trying to do there job then there is a reason. So will this be used to instill martial law?

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The devil is in the details.

Yes, this will be used as a call for more cops and tougher laws.
But lets take a look at what the article actually says before we give up any freedoms.

WASHINGTON, July 18 (UPI) -- At least 101 police officers in the United States died in the line of duty in the first six months of 2007, the highest number in almost 30 years.

In the United States right?
Then it goes on to break it down.

45 federal, state and local officers were killed in car or motorcycle crashes, or by being struck by cars while they were on foot. Another 39 were gunshot victims.
Two federal police officers were killed by roadside bombs in Iraq; seven died from job-related illness; three drowned; two were killed by plane crashes and one each from a boating accident, a bomb blast and being hit by a falling object.

So two were in Iraq?

Looks like the real number that should be looked at is 'death by gunshot', and compare that to the yearly average.

I personally know of a cop not to far from here that was driving home on some country roads and ran a stop sign and got broadsided.
I believe they counted that as a 'death on the job' because he hadnt made it home yet.

Nice catch 11Bravo,

Still this could be a prelude of justifying laws because cops death toll, even if the death toll is not all while on duty or by criminal acts.

Also I wonder how many civilian citizens get shot accidentally by cops in this nation.

Originally posted by 11Bravo

45 federal, state and local officers were killed in car or motorcycle crashes, or by being struck by cars while they were on foot. Another 39 were gunshot victims.

I did notice the break down, but I also noticed that the highest recorded number were killed from gun shots. That is what I think has the greatest potential to make changes.