Officer Deaths on the Rise

Police officer danger is somewhat different from other professions in that a key element of doing the job of a police officer is looking for danger. When people (in any profession) are killed or injured, it’s generally because they don’t see the threat coming. The threat to officers is inherently so great, that they often spend a majority of their energies looking for it. As a result, they are usually ready for it when it presents. Officers tend to get killed or injured when their normal level of situational awareness, for whatever reason, lapses.

Officer fatalities are currently going up for a number of reasons. 1.) Critical situations for officers frequently involve the employment of perishable skills (i.e. skills that degrade if not routinely reinforced through training and correction of developing bad habits). But when budgets get thin, training is the first thing to go. 2.) Most agencies these days are operating at well below optimum staffing levels. Officers frequently take calls solo these days, which they would not have taken without a cover unit just a couple of years ago. 3.) Also because of staffing shortages, officers start their shifts with calls stacked on the dispatcher’s screen, and seldom, if ever, get caught up. There is a great deal of pressure to “clear the screen”, as citizens expect police response when they call. Officers begin taking shortcuts in established procedures, which work out fine most of the time, but can occasionally be disastrous. 4.) Equipment maintenance also suffers as a result of budgetary considerations. Agencies that used to replace cars every 35,000 miles now often don’t even replace tires until they hit 50,000. 5.) As yet a further result of staffing shortages, there is significantly greater stress put on officers than would optimally be the case. This combines with long work hours, forced overtime, family stress from officers being away from home more than normal, and often poor nutrition (officers practically live on fast food) to significantly reduce officers’ situational awareness… particularly as the shift extends into its later hours.

98% of the stress increase officers feel is caused not by the job itself (the conduct of which is for most officers is, in fact, often a stress reliever), but by police administrations… which induce even more stress in their officers when they have to deal with the politics involved in operating under budget (e.g., on more than one occasion in my career, I was ordered to work overtime I didn’t want-to work by one administrator, only to receive a ‘write-up’ by another for working too much overtime. I then had to use my time and energy to fight the write-up through my POA. This kind of thing is not at all uncommon in a large agency. Some Commander gets jumped because he’s exceeded his budget, and we all know what rolls down hill.)

In short, most agencies these days are operating with no fat left in the budget and no fall-back position when things go bad. Failures that normally would be teaching points can become catastrophic scenarios all too often, with the result that officer deaths and injuries rise. Although the public would likely be shocked if they were aware of it, I have known of times where a city as large as Sacramento, CA only had six officers total on the street taking calls. There’s just no room for any error.

Experienced officers begin leaving the profession as soon as they can retire, and the learning curve for their rookie replacements is sharper than ever. I expect that trend to continue as long as the economy sucks.

GOD BLESS ALL those Officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Patient is a Virtual being over Zealous is not Wise. Stay Safe, Stay Alert and Stay Alive. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK and PRAYERS FOR ALL.

Why is it everytime we get a liberal in office, it's open season on law enforcement?? 60's, 90's, and now...can't be a coincidence.

RIP

Just want to add one more thing, Prayers of course for the families of the officers, but special prayers to the partners. I'm not sure if Suicide is considered a LODD, but from what I've read, Suicide is one in five results of losing a Partner(LEO). So a special prayer for them.

Delete

Ty you Spence, and Bump to the Prayer Part!
@ Natasha, I totally agree, arena's and stadiums cost Millions if not a couple billiion, but cities can't afford of few camera's?? The revenue for just the Food Service alone, for a Jets game is over a quarter MILLION, after weighing in labor, loss, rent and kickbacks to the team and the Sports authority, they should donate.

MORE Citizen Cooperation/Volunteers:
I say the PD's need more Volunteers and Cooperation from the Public. Make it a felony if someone was knowingly in the area and witnessed a crime but does not cooperate. (this is why I can't be a cop, I wear a size 7.5 shoe~hint hint) People that play a faux hero role for criminal scumbags by saying "I Didn't See A Thing" is usually the same person who will be the first one to call 911 when something happens to them. The "I didn't see anything, must make a difficult job even much more intolerable. The Public has to step up, Man Up, and stop living in fear. Numbnuts need to stop thinking their some kind of Hero for living by the street code of silence. That silence, IMO, makes you a coward. Years back when I lived in a bad area, rugrats and drug dealers pretty much knew not to do that crap in front me or my kids, I refused to live in fear,I saw something, I'm ratting, period. People need to realize, that These 67 Men and Woman that died, died providing safety to the Public. Some were slaughtered for NEEDLESSLY. The Neighborhood drug addict, drug dealer, burglar, Carjacker or Gang Member will never jump infront of a bullet to protect you, wake up. Crime blindness needs to STOP, Citizens need to step up, cooperate, and even Volunteer!

bump LonnaNJ
RIP brothers & sisters
Everyone else be safe and prayed up

Stop talking about reducing budgets and talk more about training and preparation if you want the LODDs to head in the downward direction.