NCJ Number
18786
Date Published
1974
Length
7 pages
Annotation
TABULAR DATA ON BOTH HOMICIDES OF PEACE OFFICERS AND HOMICIDES BY POLICE OFFICERS, TOGETHER WITH A BRIEF SUMMARY OF STATISTICAL FINDINGS.
Abstract
NINE TABLES PRESENT DATA IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: JURISDICTION OF NON PEACE OFFICER HOMICIDES, DOCUMENTS AND SOURCE OF REPORTING, CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENSE AND TRIGGERING EVENT, PEACE OFFICER'S ASSIGNMENT, HOUR OF DEATH, PREMISE OF INCIDENT, PEACE OFFICER'S WEAPON BY NUMBER OF ENTRY WOUNDS, NUMBER OF SHOTS FIRED BY PEACE OFFICER, AND LEGAL ACTIONS AGAINST OFFICER OR AGENCY. DATA REVEALED THAT, DURING THIS TWO-YEAR SPAN, 20 POLICE OFFICERS WERE SLAIN BY CRIMINAL OFFENDERS AND 169 PERSONS WERE SLAIN BY POLICE OFFICERS. APPROXIMATELY 70 PERCENT OF THESE 169 DEATHS WERE THE RESULT OF ASSAULTS ON POLICE OFFICERS; THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF SUCH ASSAULTS WAS PROVOKED BY MISDEMEANOR INVESTIGATIONS. (DATA WAS GATHERED FROM POLICE SUMMARY REPORTS, THE FILES OF THE VITAL STATISTICS SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, AND A NEWSPAPER CLIPPING SERVICE).