Washington – Ninety-five law enforcement officers died on the job in 2012, according to FBI data released Oct. 28.
A total of 48 fatalities resulted from felonious acts. That represents a drop from 2011, when 72 police officer deaths were linked to felonious acts. A dozen of these cases were arrest situations; other circumstances included investigating suspicious persons, traffic pursuits or stops, being ambushed, and responding to disturbance calls. Firearms were involved in 44 of the 48 fatalities.
The rest of the fatalities – 47 – primarily were the result of motor vehicle incidents.
In addition, 52,901 officers were injured during assaults, almost one-third of which occurred while responding to a disturbance call. In 80.2 percent of assaults, the perpetrator’s weapons were fists, feet or another body part, according to the data.
