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 2016, 52 law enforcement officers died as the result of accidents that occurred in the line of duty. (See Table 47.) 

• Accidental line-of-duty deaths of law enforcement officers occurred in 22 states and Puerto Rico. (See Table 47.) 

• By region, 24 officers who were accidentally killed were employed by agencies in the South, 12 by agencies in the Midwest, 9 by agencies in the West, 5 by agencies in the Northeast, and 2 by agencies in Puerto Rico. (See Table 47.) 

• Of the officers accidentally killed, 21 were employed by city police departments, 16 were employed by county agencies, and 9 were employed by state agencies. Four of the officers accidently killed were employed by federal agencies, and 2 were employed in Puerto Rico. (Based on Table 48.)

Victim profile

• The average age of the officers who were accidentally killed in 2016 was 38 years old. (See Table 54.) 

• The average length of law enforcement service for the officers accidentally killed in the line of duty was 11 years. (See Table 55.) 

• Of the 52 officers who were accidentally killed, 40 were White and 9 were Black/African American. Race was not reported for 3 of the officers accidentally killed in 2016. (See Table 59.) 

• 50 of the officers who died in 2016 due to accidental line-of-duty incidents were male; 2 were female. (See Table 59.)

Circumstances (See Table 64.)

Of the officers who were accidentally killed in the line of duty in 2016:

• 26 died as a result of automobile accidents. 

• 12 were struck by vehicles. Seven officers were directing traffic, assisting motorists, etc., and 5 were executing traffic stops, roadblocks, etc.

• 7 officers died in motorcycle accidents.

• 3 were accidentally shot. All 3 died as a result of crossfire, mistaken for subject, or other firearm mishaps.

• 2 officers drowned.

• 1 officer died in an aircraft accident.

• 1 officer died in another type of accident. 
  

Assignments (Based on Table 65.)

• 27 of the on-duty officers accidentally killed in 2016 were alone at the times of the incidents. 

• 24 on-duty officers had assistance at the times of their fatal accidents. 

• 1 officer was off duty, but acting in an official capacity, at the time of the fatal accident. 
  

Months, days, and times of incidents 

• More officers (9) died from accidental line-of-duty incidents that occurred in March and September than in any other months in 2016. (See Table 53.) 

• More officers were fatally injured in accidents on Sundays in 2016, with 10 officers accidentally killed. (See Table 50.) 

• 25 officers were killed as a result of accidents occurring between 12:01 a.m. and noon. (See Table 49.) 

• 24 officers were fatally injured in accidents that occurred between 12:01 p.m. and midnight. (See Table 49.) 

• The times of the incidents were not reported for 3 officers who were accidentally killed in 2016. (See Table 49.)