2014: 51 Cops Killed VS 1,100 Citizens Killed by Cops

In this Aug. 20, 2014 file photo police arrest a man as they disperse a protest against the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.

(ANTIMEDIA) A new preliminary FBI report shows that in 2014, 51 police officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty. The FBI notes that this is an 89% increase from 2013, when only 27 officers were killed on the job. Though the media swiftly parroted this news and noted the “spike” in officers killed on duty, the details tell a more complicated story than a simple jump in homicides.

While the statistics do show that more officers died in 2014 than 2013, the specifics reveal a less than dire picture for America’s police. First, it is true that the number of “ambushes” on officers increased—by a single case (from 7 in 2013 to 8 in 2014). Still, the largest increases came at traffic stops (3 in 2013 to 10 in 2014) and disturbance calls (5 in 2013 to 11 in 2014). The number of “pre-meditated” attacks did jump by 3, but still accounted for one of the smallest increases in officer deaths. While murders during traffic stops and disturbance calls are relevant, they do not denote as much hostility toward police as outright ambushes and pre-meditated attacks.

Further, while any form of murder is tragic, it is important to look at the long-term trends. Even the FBI notes that the annual average number of police deaths from 1980-2014 was 64. This means that in spite of the sensational 89% increase in murder, the 51 figure is still lower than the three-decade average. The National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund has also noted that the rate of officer homicides has dropped steadily since the 1970s, where it peaked at an average of 127.

Additionally, almost as many police officers died in accidents as were murdered in 2014. Out of 44 accidental deaths, 28 were car accidents. Of those 28, 15 were not wearing seatbelts.http://www.mintpressnews.com/1100-civilians-were-killed-by-police-i...