The month of November has been filled with tragedy for the law enforcement community in the United States. This past Sunday, we experienced yet another line of duty death, bringing this month’s count to ten fatalities. Nine of those ten officer fatalities were caused by gunfire. These deaths continue a horrific trend in 2016. Line of duty deaths in the U.S. have increased by eight percent this year compared to 2015. Additionally, gunfire related deaths are up by an astonishing 70 percent.
This level of violence against the police is simply unacceptable. Sadly, the police are facing an increasing amount of danger, and more horrifying is the fact that much of this danger appears to be acts of violence that target them solely for the profession they chose and the uniform they wear.
Law enforcement officers are the foundation of our society. They have dedicated their lives to keeping their communities safe and protecting the innocent. The loss of even a single officer is a tragedy that makes us all less safe. As we remember and honor these officers and grieve with their families, friends and colleagues, we also continue to pray and hope for the safety of our fellow officers. It is our hope that communities, lawmakers, and others will unite in an effort to support the law enforcement profession during this difficult time and work with us to end this culture of violence.
This post was originally published on November 15, 2016 on the IACP’s blog.
