were slain while handling, transporting, or maintaining custody of prisoners, and 2.4 percent of the officers were killed by mentally deranged assailants. (Based on Table 18.)
Types of Assignment
In 2002, 38 of the 56 slain officers were assigned to vehicle patrol. Of these, 32 officers were assigned to one-officer vehicles and 6 were assigned to two-officer vehicles. At the time of the incidents, 1 officer was alone and on foot patrol. Twelve victim officers were assigned to other duties (undercover, special assignments, etc.), and of these, 2 were alone and unassisted. Five officers were off duty but acting in an official capacity when killed. (See Table 22.)
In the 10-year period, 1993 through 2002, most of the victim officers, 63.5 percent, were assigned to vehicle patrol at the time of the felonious incidents that led to their deaths. Data also showed that 20.9 percent of the fallen officers were performing other duties (special assignments, detective work, undercover assignments, etc.) when slain. During the decade, 13.2 percent of the total victim officers were acting in an official capacity though off duty at the time of their fatal incidents. Data collected regarding the officers' assignments also revealed that during the 10-year period, 46.8 percent of the 404 vehicle patrol officers were alone and unassisted when they were killed, 8 of the 15 (53.3 percent) foot patrol officers were alone and unassisted, and 27.8 percent of the 133 victim officers who were performing other types of assignments were alone and unassisted. (Based on Table 24.)
Weapons
Weapons data reported to the national Program in 2002 showed that firearms were used in 51 of the 56 officer murders. Handguns were used in 38 of the killings, and 11 of these were committed using 9 mm handguns. Rifles were used in 10 officer slayings, and shotguns were used in 3 of the murders. In addition to those victims killed by firearms, 4 officers were intentionally struck by vehicles, and 1 officer was stabbed to death with a knife. (See Tables 26, 27, and 32.)
From 1993 through 2002, 636 officers were killed in the line of duty. Of that number, 591 officers were killed with firearms, and 443 of those victims were killed with handguns. In addition, 9 officers were killed with bombs, 8 officers with knives or other cutting instruments, 3 with personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.), and 25 officers were murdered with other weapons (vehicles, blunt objects, etc.). During that same 10-year period, 46 of the officers killed with firearms were slain with their own weapons. (See Tables 14 and 26.) Furthermore, during that 10-year period, 136 of the 636 officers feloniously killed fired their service weapons during the incident. In addition, assailants stole the service weapons from 97 of the victim officers. (See Tables 12 and 13.)
Among the 51 officers who were killed by firearms in 2002, 25 victim officers were within 5 feet and 9 were within 6 to 10 feet of their attackers. Eight officers were within 11 to 20 feet of their assailants, 3 officers were within 21 to 50 feet, and 4 victims were over 50 feet from their attackers. The distance between victim and attacker was not provided for 2 officers. (See Table 33.)
Body Armor
In 2002, 34 of the 51 officers killed in the line of duty by a firearm were wearing body armor at the time of their deaths. Twenty-one of the officers who were wearing body armor died as a result of head wounds, 11 died from wounds to the upper torso, and 2 received fatal wounds below the waist. (See Table 35.) Of the 11 victims with upper torso injuries, 3 died as a result of bullets entering through the armhole or shoulder area of the vest, 3 died when bullets entered above the vest, and 3 were struck below the protective vest. One officer died from a bullet that entered between the side panels of the vest, and 1 officer died as a result of a .30-30 caliber bullet penetrating the body armor. (See Tables 36 and 37.)
Places
Regionally, 25 of the 56 felonious deaths reported to the national Program in 2002 occurred in the South. Twelve line-of-duty deaths occurred in the Midwest, 9 in the West, and 5 in the Northeast. Five victim officers were killed in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico.
For the 10-year period between 1993 and 2002, the South experienced 278 officer deaths; the West, 130 officer slayings; the Midwest, 116 murders; and the Northeast, 63 slain officers. Forty-nine officers were slain in the U.S. Territories during this 10-year period. (See Table 1.)
Times
In 2002, the greatest number of officers, 9, were killed in incidents that occurred between 8:01 p.m. and 10 p.m. Eight officers were killed in incidents that occurred between the hours of 4:01 p.m. and 6 p.m. One officer was killed between the hours 4:01 a.m. and 6 a.m., the time in which the fewest number of officers were killed.
During the past decade, the majority, 14.5 percent, of officers feloniously killed in the line of duty were attacked between 8:01 p.m. and 10 p.m. The fewest, 3.8 percent, were feloniously assaulted between 6:01 a.m. and 8 a.m. (Based on Table 2.)
A breakdown of 2002 data by day of the week showed that more officers, 11 of the 56 officers feloniously killed, received fatal injuries on Monday than on any other day of the week. The fewest number of officers, 6, were fatally attacked on Wednesday. During the 10-year span 1993 through 2002, the majority of officers, 110, were attacked on Friday. For the same 10-year period, Sunday was the least likely day for a felonious attack (69 fatal attacks). (See Table 3.)
