Methodology: Federal Officers Killed and Assaulted
Data published by the FBI concerning federal officers killed or assaulted in the line of duty are provided by 65 federal departments, agencies, and offices. Within these departments, agencies, and offices are the personnel responsible for protecting government officials and enforcing and investigating violations of federal law. Each year, the FBI contacts these agencies and requests information about the officers who were killed or assaulted in the line of duty.
The information concerning federal officers differs slightly from the data regarding assaults on state, county, college and university, city, and tribal (nonfederal) law enforcement officers. First, the data regarding federal officers include all reports of assaults regardless of the extent (or the absence) of personal injury. Second, the circumstance categories are tailored to represent the unique duties of federal law enforcement personnel.
