USA TODAY | By Grace Hauck | January 11, 2023
Sixty-four officers were shot and killed in the line of duty in 2022, according to a preliminary annual report released Wednesday from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
That’s far below the number of firearms-related officer deaths 50 years ago. But the figure – the same as in 2021 – represents an increase over the average number of officer deaths in more recent history, according to the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, which warned of a “disturbing trend.”
Marcia Ferranto, CEO of the organization, said the data should prompt officer safety and wellness programs around the country to investigate why officers are dying by firearms at a greater rate today than they were 10 years ago.