NCJ Number
206568
Date Published
2001
Length
137 pages
Annotation
This report presents the fourth study of California law enforcement officers killed and assaulted in the line of duty; it analyzes events that occurred during the 5-year period from 1995 to 1999.
Abstract
This report is meant to be used as a tool for policy modification or for informing training programs to promote officer safety. The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) developed two surveys to collect data on peace officers murdered or assaulted in California: (1) Felonious killings and (2) Accidental deaths. Agencies that lost peace officers were contacted and each case was researched. The data indicated that 33 peace officers were killed in 32 felonious incidents during the study period; approximately 7 murders per year. Information is provided about the types of incidents that resulted in peace officer murders; data indicate that domestic dispute calls remain the most dangerous law enforcement contact. Officer demographics are offered; they revealed that the cause of death for all 33 officers was gunshot wounds. Suspect demographics are similarly offered; 27 of the 32 suspects had criminal histories. Tactical analyses revealed that in 10 of the cases, the deaths were preventable and in nearly two-thirds of the cases, the officers knew there was a potential for danger. Poor positioning was a primary factor in 18 of the peace officer murders. Information about the equipment and weapons with the murdered officers indicated that 31 of the 33 murdered officers were armed, only the 2 off-duty officers were unarmed. Comparing current data with data from previous years shows a 10.5 percent increase in the use of weapons by suspects since the last 5-year study. However, the number of preventable deaths dropped from 25 in the previous study to 10 in the current study. Data on assaults indicated that in 1999 alone, 6,857 officers were assaulted, which precludes the capacity for an in-depth analysis of each assault. Comparative data highlights the significant variables between lethal and nonlethal suspect encounters. Data on accidental deaths indicated that 33 peace officers were accidentally killed in the line of duty; mainly from traffic accidents (73 percent). Changes in training since the studies began are discussed and include major changes in curriculum content and training philosophy. The final chapter offers incident summaries for the felonious incidents and the accidental deaths. Figures, tables