Law enforcement officers killed and assaulted, 2005

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,The, Feb, 2007

According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, 55 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty last year, 67 died in accidents while performing their official functions, and 57,546 suffered assaults while on duty. The 55 felonious line-of-duty deaths, a decrease of 2 from 2004, took place during 53 separate incidents and occurred in 24 states and Puerto Rico. The average victim was 37 years old with 10 years of law enforcement service. Fifty-four of the slain officers were male, 47 were Caucasian, and 8 were African-American.

Fifteen were murdered during traffic pursuits or stops; 8 while handling arrest situations; 8 during ambush incidents; 7 while answering disturbance calls; 7 during investigations of suspicious persons; 4 while pursuing investigative activities, such as surveillance; 3 while in tactical situations (e.g., high-risk entry); 2 while handling mentally deranged persons; and 1 while maintaining custody of a prisoner for transport. Offenders used firearms to kill 50 of the 55 officers. Of the 50 victims, 42 were slain with handguns, 5 with shotguns, and 3 with rifles. Fifteen of the 55 slain officers fired their own weapons during the fatal incidents, and 6 attempted to use their weapons. Five officers were killed when hit by vehicles that the offenders used as weapons.

Sixty-seven law enforcement officers died in accidents while performing their duties. Automobile incidents claimed the highest number (39).

U.S. law enforcement agencies reported that 57,546 officers were assaulted while on duty. The largest percentage (30.5 percent) occurred during disturbance calls (e.g., family quarrels or bar fights). The smallest percentage (0.3 percent) of officers were assaulted during ambush situations. Assailants used personal weapons (e.g., hands, fists, or feet) in 80 percent of the incidents, firearms in 3.7 percent, and knives or cutting instruments in 1.8 percent. In 14.4 percent of the assaults, perpetrators used other types of weapons.

The complete annual report, Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2005, is available online at http://www.fbi.gov.