Federal Officers Killed and Assaulted

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This page provides information regarding federal law enforcement officers who were killed or assaulted in the line of duty in 2014 and who met the appropriate criteria.

Overview

In 2014, a total of 1,410 federal law enforcement officers were assaulted. Of these officers, 170 were reported injured and none were killed. Extent of injuries (if any) was not reported for 373 of the officers. By department:

• The U.S. Department of the Interior employed 607 of the officers who were assaulted; 84 of these officers were injured.

• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employed 535 of the federal officers who were assaulted, and 39 of these officers were injured. Injuries (if any) were not reported for 373 of the DHS officers who were assaulted.

• The U.S. Department of Justice employed 257 of the officers who were assaulted, and 46 of these officers were injured.

• The U.S. Postal Inspection Service employed 7 of the officers who were assaulted in 2014, and 1 of these officers was injured.

• The U.S. Capitol Police employed 3 officers who were assaulted, and of these, no officers were injured.

• The U.S. Department of the Treasury employed 1 officer who was assaulted but not injured in 2014.

More information about this topic is provided in Tables 129, 130, 131, and 132.

See also the summaries of Assaults by Department. 

Weapons

• 610 federal officers were attacked with personal weapons such as hands, fists, or feet, and 110 of these assaults resulted in injuries to the officers. For 176 of these victims, the extent of the injuries (if any) was not reported.

• 149 officers were attacked with blunt instruments, resulting in 4 officers being injured. The extent of injuries (if any) was not reported for 130 officers.

• 102 federal officers were assaulted with vehicles; of these, 12 officers suffered injuries. For 38 of the officers assaulted with vehicles, the extent of their injuries (if any) was not reported.

• 77 officers were assaulted with firearms, resulting in 10 officers being injured. The extent of the injuries (if any) was not reported for 17 officers assaulted with firearms.

• 27 officers were assaulted with knives or other cutting instruments, resulting in 3 officers being injured.

• 445 officers were assaulted with various other types of weapons, resulting in 31 officers being injured. The extent of injuries (if any) was not reported for 12 officers assaulted with these various other types of weapons.

More information about this topic is provided in Tables 132, 133, 134, and 135.

Type of activity

• 431 officers were attacked while conducting investigations or searches.

• 308 officers were assaulted while attempting arrests or serving summonses.

• 164 of the federal officers assaulted in 2014 were on patrol or guard duty when they were assaulted.

• 60 officers were assaulted while maintaining custody of prisoners.

• 20 officers were assaulted while on court duty.

• 12 officers were on protection duty at the time of the attacks.

• 2 officers were assigned to office duty when they were assaulted.

• 40 officers were assigned to other duties when assaulted.

More information about this topic is provided in Table 136.

Regional and outlying area breakdowns

Of the federal law enforcement officers who were assaulted in 2014:

• 520 officers were in the West.

• 420 officers were in the South.

• 390 officers were in the Midwest.

• 61 officers were in the Northeast.

• 7 officers were in Puerto Rico.

• 1 officer was in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

More information about this topic is provided in Table 134.

Dispositional information

• 892 alleged assailants were identified in connection with the 1,410 attacks on federal officers.

• Of the 892 offenders, dispositional information was reported for 501 of the suspects:
• 347 were found guilty, and 13 were found not guilty or the charges were dismissed.
• 115 of the offenders were awaiting trial.
• 9 offenders’ prosecutions were declined.
• 5 offenders’ cases were pending prosecutive opinion.
• 4 offenders were found incompetent to stand trial.
• 4 offenders remained fugitives.
• 4 offenders are deceased.

More information about this topic is provided in Tables 129 and 137.

Five-year totals

From 2010 through 2014, there were 8,617 federal officers assaulted; 9 of these officers
were killed.

• In the last five years, 4 officers employed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have been killed in the line of duty. Of these officers:
• 3 were employed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. One of these officers was killed in 2010, and 2 officers were killed in 2013.
• 1 with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was killed in 2011. 
• Of the other 5 officers killed over the last five years:
• 3 were with the U.S. Department of Justice. Two officers employed by the U.S. Marshals Service were killed in 2011, and 1 officer with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration was killed in 2013.
• 2 were with the U.S. Department of the Interior. One officer employed by the National Park Service was killed in 2012, and 1 officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs was killed in 2013.