378 officers were shot while on patrol in 2023—a 14% increase from 2022
•
More than 24,000 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty
•
71 officers died in the line of duty during the first half of 2024--a 15% increase over the same time last year.
•
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) registered close to 2.5 million migrant encounters at the southern U.S. border in fiscal year 2023.
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More than 800,000 officers risk their lives daily serving and protecting our nation
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Of the 53.8 million U.S. residents who had an interaction with police in 2020, 99% said no police misconduct occurred
•
Of the 53.8 million interactions with U.S. residents in 2020, force of any kind was used by the officers less than 2% of the time
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73% of law enforcement officers surveyed have never fired their weapon in the line of duty
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On average, a New York City police officer would have to work 694 years before they ever shot and killed a criminal suspect
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The U.S. Dept. of Justice has reported that there is no statistically-significant difference between the percentage of Whites (12%), Blacks (11%) and Hispanics (10%) stopped by police
•
A 2016 study found that there is no racial bias when it comes to individuals shot by police
•
Kids from fatherless homes are 20 times more likely to be incarcerated and 11 times more likely to exhibit violent behavior than children from two-parent households
•
America now has the fewest number of law enforcement officers per residents than at any time in more than 25 years
•
The deadliest year in U.S. law enforcement history was 2021 when 623 officers died in the line of duty
•
On average, there is one life saved per 10-17 police officers hired
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In Washington, DC, the average homicide suspect was arrested 11 times before they committed the murder
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There are over 240 million calls to 9-1-1 every year in the U.S.
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As many as one-third of all police shootings have indications of "suicide by cop"
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In Minneapolis, the number of police officers is now 40% fewer than at the start of 2020
•
Violent crime in Washington, D.C. soared 39% in 2023
•
Nationwide, suburban and rural crime is rising at alarming rates
•
Washington, D.C.: Homicides up 34% in 2023
•
In Seattle, low police salary is the major reason cited by recruit candidates as to why the city is facing an officer shortage crisis
•
Nationwide, the gun homicide rate rose 45% from 2019 - 2021
•
Nationwide, homicides are up 21.5% and aggravated assaults are up 9%, when comparing 2023 numbers to 2019
•
Nationwide, mail theft has more than quadrupled since 2018, while funding for the Postal Inspection Service has decreased
•
The average age of those arrested for carjacking in Washington, D.C. in 2023 was 15
•
Austin (TX) is now facing a public safety crisis that started when the city council voted to defund the police budget by $150 million in 2020
•
378 U.S. officers were shot while on patrol in 2023--a 14% increase from 2022 and a record high
•
A record-high 115 officers were shot in ambush-style attacks in 2023
•
Nationwide, homicides are up 21.5% and aggravated assaults are up 9%, when comparing 2023 numbers to 2019
•
Overall crime in New York City has skyrocketed nearly 34% when comparing 2023 numbers to 2019
•
Homicides in Washington, D.C. rose 34% in 2023 compared to the prior year
•
378 officers were shot while on patrol in 2023—a 14% increase from 2022 • More than 24,000 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty • 71 officers died in the line of duty during the first half of 2024--a 15% increase over the same time last year. • U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) registered close to 2.5 million migrant encounters at the southern U.S. border in fiscal year 2023. • More than 800,000 officers risk their lives daily serving and protecting our nation • Of the 53.8 million U.S. residents who had an interaction with police in 2020, 99% said no police misconduct occurred • Of the 53.8 million interactions with U.S. residents in 2020, force of any kind was used by the officers less than 2% of the time • 73% of law enforcement officers surveyed have never fired their weapon in the line of duty • On average, a New York City police officer would have to work 694 years before they ever shot and killed a criminal suspect • The U.S. Dept. of Justice has reported that there is no statistically-significant difference between the percentage of Whites (12%), Blacks (11%) and Hispanics (10%) stopped by police • A 2016 study found that there is no racial bias when it comes to individuals shot by police • Kids from fatherless homes are 20 times more likely to be incarcerated and 11 times more likely to exhibit violent behavior than children from two-parent households • America now has the fewest number of law enforcement officers per residents than at any time in more than 25 years • The deadliest year in U.S. law enforcement history was 2021 when 623 officers died in the line of duty • On average, there is one life saved per 10-17 police officers hired • In Washington, DC, the average homicide suspect was arrested 11 times before they committed the murder • There are over 240 million calls to 9-1-1 every year in the U.S. • As many as one-third of all police shootings have indications of "suicide by cop" • In Minneapolis, the number of police officers is now 40% fewer than at the start of 2020 • Violent crime in Washington, D.C. soared 39% in 2023 • Nationwide, suburban and rural crime is rising at alarming rates • Washington, D.C.: Homicides up 34% in 2023 • In Seattle, low police salary is the major reason cited by recruit candidates as to why the city is facing an officer shortage crisis • Nationwide, the gun homicide rate rose 45% from 2019 - 2021 • Nationwide, homicides are up 21.5% and aggravated assaults are up 9%, when comparing 2023 numbers to 2019 • Nationwide, mail theft has more than quadrupled since 2018, while funding for the Postal Inspection Service has decreased • The average age of those arrested for carjacking in Washington, D.C. in 2023 was 15 • Austin (TX) is now facing a public safety crisis that started when the city council voted to defund the police budget by $150 million in 2020 • 378 U.S. officers were shot while on patrol in 2023--a 14% increase from 2022 and a record high • A record-high 115 officers were shot in ambush-style attacks in 2023 • Nationwide, homicides are up 21.5% and aggravated assaults are up 9%, when comparing 2023 numbers to 2019 • Overall crime in New York City has skyrocketed nearly 34% when comparing 2023 numbers to 2019 • Homicides in Washington, D.C. rose 34% in 2023 compared to the prior year •
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Urge your Senators to cosponsor S.Res. 218, authored by U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), which expresses support for law enforcement and condemns the "defund and defame the police" movement. You can find info on how to contact your Senator and Representative here:
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Craig W. Floyd
Director, President & CEO
Bill Erfurth
Director, Secretary/Treasurer
Dennis Collins
Director
Law Enforcement Advisory Council
Important Facts and Figures
Our nation’s law enforcement officers are better educated, better trained and better equipped than at any time in American history. That is the undeniable truth. But law enforcement leaders are also mindful of the guidance provided by Sir Robert Peel, the acknowledged father of modern policing, who said, “The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions.”
240 Million
Calls to 9-1-1 in US every year
378
Number of officers shot in the line of duty in 2023
Line of Duty Deaths in United States
Source: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
For many more facts and figures visit our full page here: Facts & Figures
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Citizens Behind the Badge is a nonprofit 501(c)(4) tax-exempt organization based in McLean, Virginia.
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