Number of police officers killed in line of duty hits level not seen in 80 years

The fig of U.S. instrumentality enforcement officers killed successful the enactment of work fell sharply successful 2025, reaching levels not seen since World War II, caller information shows.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund study released connected Tuesday shows full line-of-duty deaths dropped from 148 successful 2024 to 111 past year, with drops successful each fatality category.

Annual serviceman fatalities person not reached levels this debased since 1943, erstwhile 94 officers were killed successful the enactment of duty.

Firearm-related fatalities fell 15%, from 52 successful 2024 to 44 successful 2025, the lowest full successful astatine slightest a decade, according to the Fund’s records.

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Officers hold for slain West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte's ceremonial procession from Living Word Community Church, successful Red Lion, Pa., Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

"I ever similar to spot that firearms deaths are down. They are the extremity of the spear for egregious acts," Bill Alexander, the Fund’s main enforcement officer, told The Associated Press. "Even 1 serviceman fatality is excessively many, and our eventual extremity is to person none. But we’re heartened by immoderate alteration successful those numbers."

Traffic-related deaths fell astir 23% twelvemonth implicit year, according to the data.

An unidentified antheral participates successful a Blue Lives Matter rally Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, successful Kenosha, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Alexander attributed the diminution successful fatalities from crashes and officers getting struck by vehicles during postulation stops to the increasing attraction to roadside safety. He said that the dispersed of "move-over" laws, and changes successful policing tactics, specified arsenic encouraging officers to attack vehicles from the rider side, person helped.

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Fewer fatalities bash not needfully mean less serviceman shootings, helium said.

The National Fraternal Order of Police tracks on-duty serviceman shootings, some fatal and nonfatal, though the information does not see incidents successful which officers were fired upon but not hit.

Its 2025 report, released this week, showed a flimsy summation successful officers changeable connected work past year, rising from 342 successful 2024 to 347 successful 2025.

Police officers salute arsenic different officers thrust past connected motorcycles successful procession for a slain serviceman connected Feb. 5, 2025. (KVVU)

Deaths successful the report’s "other" category, which includes aesculapian emergencies, stabbings, drownings, and aviation accidents, fell 37%, from 52 to 33. That full includes 14 officers who died from illnesses linked to their effect to the Sept. 11 violent attacks.c

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The study besides excludes suicides, though Alexander said the enactment is continuing discussions astir however to admit and grant those officers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.