Law enforcement officers’ deaths due to COVID fell by 83% in 2022, according to new data

In 2022, 226 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty, according to preliminary data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), showing a significant drop over 2021 — and much of the decrease is attributed to the dramatic reduction in deaths from COVID-19.

Last year, 70 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty as a result of contracting COVID-19, an 83% drop, compared to the 405 officers killed in 2021. Despite these steep reductions, COVID-19 remains the number one cause of law enforcement deaths in 2022.