As COVID-19 illnesses and deaths saw steep declines for the civilian population in 2022, the same was true for law enforcement professionals. According to the 2022 End-of-Year Preliminary Law Enforcement Officers Fatalities Report released by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund in January, there was an 83% decrease in COVID-19-related deaths. Seventy officers succumbed to the disease as a result of their duties in 2022, compared to the 405 officers who died in 2021.
This article appeared in the January/February issue of OFFICER Magazine. Click Here to view the digital edition. Click Here to subscribe to OFFICER Magazine.
Despite a 61% decrease in overall line-of-duty-deaths over the previous year with 226 in 2022 compared to 586 in 2021, the troubling trend of higher-than-average firearms fatalities, which began in 2021, continued in 2022. Firearms-related fatalities claimed the lives of 64 officers in 2022, which is the same total of firearms-related fatalities in 2021. The past two years represent a 21% increase in firearms-related deaths when compared to the average of 53 firearms-related fatalities from 2010 to 2020.
“While overall line-of-duty deaths are trending down the continuing trend of greater-than-average firearms-related deaths continues to be a serious concern,” NLEOMF CEO Marcia Ferranto said in a statement following the release of the report. “Using and reporting on this data allows us to highlight the continuing cost of maintaining our democracy, regrettably measured in the lives of the many law enforcement professionals who sacrifice everything fulfilling their promise to serve and protect.”
Again, led by COVID-19-related deaths, the ‘other’ category continues to represent the largest group of officers who died in the line of duty in 2022. Besides for COVID-19- related deaths, the category includes long-term illnesses related to the September 11th terrorist attacks and acute medical events brought on by extreme and/or stressful events experienced on-duty. Of the 106 ‘other causes’ deaths in 2022: 70 were related to Covid-19; 27 were fatal medical events; six were due to aircraft crashes; one was due to a falling object; one officer fell to their death and one officer died assisting in a fire incident.
Texas experienced the largest number of law enforcement officer fatalities of all U.S. states in 2022, with 33 line-of-duty deaths. New York had the second highest number with 12 officer deaths. California and Georgia had the third highest number with 11 officer deaths each. In addition, 11 federal officers, one military, and one tribal officer died in 2022. Fourteen states and the U.S. territories did not lose an officer in 2022.
Of the officers who died in the line of duty, 204 were male and 22 were female. The average age of the fallen officers was 44, with an average of 15 years of service. On average, the fallen officers left behind two children.
Read the full 2022 LODD report: officer.com/21293520
This article appeared in the January/February issue of OFFICER Magazine.
Paul Peluso | Editor
Paul Peluso is the Managing Editor of OFFICER Magazine and has been with the Officer Media Group since 2006. He began as an Associate Editor, writing and editing content for Officer.com. Previously, Paul worked as a reporter for several newspapers in the suburbs of Baltimore, MD.
