Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life... - Posts Tagged "fatalities"

Blogger's Note: As an award-winning journalist who spent 17 of my 21-plus years on the job covering law enforcement in three states, I feel compelled to share my feelings in light of recent events that have transpired across America and the mainstream media coverage thereof.
By writing this, I in no way deny or refute that there are some really bad cops out there. Frankly, I am fully aware that there are racists, bullies and thugs in uniform who have no business wearing a badge. In many cases, their conduct is reprehensible; and in a perfect world, those who in any way violated the laws they swore to uphold would be held fully accountable.
But as we all know the world is far from perfect and the system is hardly infallible. Moral outrage is perfectly understandable when it fails. In the United States, where we have a right to engage in peaceful protest, civil disobedience provides a powerful outlet for our fear, frustration and anger.
However, we simply cannot give in to those emotions. We cannot let them consume us. We cannot let them tear us apart. We must not lose sight of the big picture. Courage, common sense and common decency must prevail.
With that being stated, I respectfully ask you to consider the following:

More than 20,260 American law enforcement officers (20,267, to be precise) died as a direct result of job-related incidents, illnesses or other causes in the past 222 years (1791-2013).
Between 2004 and 2013, 1,501 American law enforcement officers lost their lives due to job-related incidents, illnesses or other causes. Of those, 548 died as the result of gunshot wounds. Four-hundred-and-thirty-four died as the result of motor vehicle crashes.
In a July press release detailing the number of American law enforcement officer fatalities for the first six months of 2014, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund noted that 67 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, reflecting a 31 percent increase over the same six-month period in 2013. Alarmingly, there were 25 firearms-related deaths, reflecting a 56 percent increase over the first six months of 2013. From January through June 2014, six law enforcement officers were fatally shot while investigating suspicious persons or situations; and five were shot and killed in ambushes.
Through the first 11 months (January through December) of this year, there have been 111 American law enforcement fatalities due to job-related incidents, illnesses or other causes. That reflects a 26 percent increase from the same time period last year, when the total stood at 88.
Of the total number of U.S. law enforcement officer deaths from Jan. 1 2014 to December 1, 2014, 45 were firearms-related. That represents a 67 percent increase from the same time period last year, when the number of firearms-related deaths was just 27.
Of the total number of U.S. law enforcement officer deaths from Jan. 1, 2014 to December 1, 2014, 42 were traffic-related. That represents a 14 percent increase from the same time period last year, when the number of traffic-related deaths was 37.
Of the total number of U.S. law enforcement officer fatalities from Jan. 1, 2014 to December 1, 2014, 24 were attributed to “other causes” including job-related illnesses. That represents a 0 percent increase from the same time period last year, when “other causes” resulted in the same number of fatalities.
As of December 1, 2014, California led the country with 14 law enforcement officer fatalities. There were 11 in Texas, six in New York and five in Florida. Alabama, Georgia, Indiana and Virginia each had four law enforcement officer fatalities. Arizona, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee each had three law enforcement officer deaths. Alaska, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio each had two law enforcement officer deaths. Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin each suffered one law enforcement officer fatality.
Five of the law enforcement officers who died worked for federal agencies, one served in the military and four worked in U.S. territories.
Alone, these statistics are staggering. But there is a much bigger picture. For each one of these facts and figures, there is a mother without a child; a brother or sister without a sibling; or, perhaps, a child without a parent. For each life cut short, there is grief. There is sadness. There is anger. There is an empty seat at the dinner table. There is a dream that will never be realized. There is untold, incalculable loss. And then there is the haunting question: Why?
Maybe with time, those who knew these men and women best will find comfort by remembering how they lived. The rest of us cannot and must not, ignore or forget the way they died.
Here are just a few of their stories:
➢ On November 22, 2014, Deputy Sheriff Christopher Smith of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed in an ambush while responding to a house fire. He was the fifth law enforcement fatality in the State of Florida this year.
➢ On November 16, 2014, Police Officer Justin Winebrenner of the Akron Police Department was shot and killed while confronting an armed suspect at an establishment. He was the second law enforcement fatality in the State of Ohio this year.
➢ On November 2, 2014, Deputy Sheriff Matthew Chism of the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed following a vehicle chase and foot pursuit. He was the second law enforcement fatality in the State of Missouri this year.
➢ On November 1, 2014, Constable Robert White of the El Paso County Constable’s Office, Precinct 1, was injured struggling with a suspect while working a security detail. He was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital. He was the 10th law enforcement fatality from the State of Texas this year.
➢ On October 29, 2014, SWAT Officer Shaun Diamond of the Pomona Police Department was shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant. He succumbed to his injuries the following morning. He was the 14th law enforcement fatality in the State of California this year.
Now ask yourself this: Where were the national headlines about their deaths? Where was the moral outrage about the senseless loss of their lives? Where were the protestors? Where were the activists and professional agitators then?
Were these men's lives worth less than anybody else’s simply because of their chosen profession?
Why is it acceptable to stereotype, judge and vilify a whole group of people in a given profession based on the actions of a few, when it is unacceptable to stereotype, judge and vilify whole group of people in a given race or religion based on the actions of a few?
Why is a mob mentality promoting divisiveness being fomented at a time when we should be focused on finding ways to come together?
Our society is not perfect. Injustices – both real and perceived -- can and should be addressed. But rule of law must also be upheld, and that cannot happen without the dedication and courage of those who enforce it. To continue to undermine them would be a grave injustice, indeed.
Until next time, "That's life..."
(Preliminary data for 2014 courtesy of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.)