Officers Accidentally Killed
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 2013, 49 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 22 states.
- Of the officers accidentally killed, 24 were employed by city police departments, 15 were employed by county agencies, 8 were employed by state agencies, and 2 were employed by federal agencies.
- By region, 31 officers who were accidentally killed were employed by agencies in the South, 9 by agencies in the West, 5 by agencies in the Northeast, and 4 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 2013 was 41 years.
- The average length of law enforcement service for the officers accidentally killed in the line of duty was 13 years.
- Of the officers who were accidentally killed, 41 were white, 6 were black, and race was not reported for 2 officers.
- All 49 of the officers were male.
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 2013:
- 23 died as a result of automobile accidents.
- 9 were struck by vehicles.
- 4 officers died in motorcycle accidents.
- 4 were killed in falls.
- 2 were accidentally shot as a result of crossfire, mistaken for subject, or other firearm mishaps.
- 2 officers drowned.
- 1 died in an aircraft accident.
- 4 officers died in other types of accidents.
Of the 9 officers struck by vehicles:
- 8 were directing traffic, assisting motorists, etc.
- 1 was executing a traffic stop, roadblock, etc.
More information about this topic is provided in Tables 61, 62, 63, and 64.
Assignments
- 24 of the on-duty officers accidentally killed in 2013 were alone at the time of the accidents.
- 21 on-duty officers had assistance at the time of their fatal accidents.
- 4 officers were off duty, but acting in an official capacity, at the times 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 2013, the greatest number of accidents resulting in the deaths of law enforcement officers (9) occurred in May.
- More officers were fatally injured in accidents on Fridays in 2013, with 12 officers accidentally killed.
- 16 officers were killed as a result of accidents occurring between 12:01 a.m. and noon.
- 30 officers were fatally injured in accidents that occurred between 12:01 p.m. and midnight.
More information about this topic is provided in Tables 50, 51, and 52.