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Home LEOKA 2012 Officers Accidentally Killed

Officers Accidentally Killed

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This page provides information regarding accidental line-of-duty deaths of duly sworn city, university and college, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement officers who met the same criteria as officers feloniously killed.

Overview

  • In 2012, 47 law enforcement officers died as the result of accidents that occurred in the line of duty.
  • Accidental line-of-duty deaths of law enforcement officers occurred in 23 states.
  • Of the officers accidentally killed, 21 were employed by city police departments, 16 were employed by county agencies, 6 were employed by state agencies, and 4 were employed by federal agencies.
  • By region, 27 officers who were accidentally killed were employed by agencies in the South, 9 by agencies in the Northeast, 8 by agencies in the West, and 3 by agencies in the Midwest.

More information about these topics is provided in Tables 48, 49, 59, 60, and 64.

Victim profile

  • The average age of the officers who died accidentally in 2012 was 39 years.
  • The average length of law enforcement service for the officers accidentally killed in the line of duty was 12 years.
  • Of the officers who were accidentally killed, 36 were white, 9 were black, and 2 officers were Asian/Pacific Islander.
  • 45 of the officers were male; 2 were female.

More information about this topic is provided in Tables 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58.

Circumstances

Of the officers who were accidentally killed in the line of duty in 2012:

  • 22 died as a result of automobile accidents.
  • 10 were struck by vehicles.
  • 6 officers died in motorcycle accidents.
  • 3 officers were killed in falls.
  • 3 died in aircraft accidents.
  • 2 were accidentally shot as a result of crossfire, mistaken for subject, or other firearm mishaps.
  • 1 officer died in an other type of accident.

Of the 10 officers struck by vehicles:

  • 8 were directing traffic, assisting motorists, etc.
  • 2 were executing traffic stops, roadblocks, etc.

More information about this topic is provided in Tables 61, 62, 63, and 64.

Assignments

  • 31 of the on-duty officers accidentally killed in 2012 were alone at the time of the accidents.
  • 16 on-duty officers had assistance at the time of their fatal accidents.
  • 3 officers were assigned to 2-officer vehicles at the time of their fatal accidents.

More information about this topic is included in Tables 59, 60, 62, and 63.

Months, days, and times of incidents

  • In 2012, the greatest number of accidents resulting in the deaths of law enforcement officers (8) occurred in July.
  • More officers were fatally injured in accidents on Saturdays in 2012, with 11 officers accidentally killed.
  • 24 officers were killed as a result of accidents occurring between 12:01 a.m. and noon.
  • 23 officers were fatally injured in accidents that occurred between the hours of 12:01 p.m. and midnight.

More information about this topic is provided in Tables 50, 51, and 52.