Florida Law Enforcement Deaths: A Look At The Numbers

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — A total of 133 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2015. So far, 2016 has already witnessed 18 line-of-duty deaths.

While Florida has escaped fatalities thus far this year, it’s had a few near calls. Although not a line of duty shooting, the most recent incident in the Sunshine State involved a Jacksonville Sheriff’s officer who was shot three times Wednesday morning while taking his teenage son to school. The sheriff’s office reports the officer came out of surgery and was in stable, but critical condition as of Wednesday afternoon. A suspect in the case was also shot, but was expected to survive at last report.

The Officer Down Memorial Page tracks line-of-duty law enforcement deaths across the country. As of Wednesday afternoon, the website reported the current year’s line of duty deaths were due to such causes as:

• Aircraft accident – 1
• Automobile accident – 3
• Gunfire – 12
• Struck by vehicle – 1
• Vehicular assault – 1

Here are the numbers for the past few years for the country as a whole and Florida:

2015

• National – 133 deaths
• Florida – 2

2014

• National – 135 deaths
• Florida – 6

2013

• National – 120 deaths
• Florida – 4

2012

• National – 135
• Florida – 5

2011

• National – 180
• Florida – 15

2010

• National – 177
• Florida – 10

To delve into the numbers more, visit the Officer Down Memorial Page. The website also has biographical information on the officers behind the statistics.

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