WASHINGTON – The number of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty nationwide rose by 25% in 2024, according to preliminary data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF).
The organization’s 2024 End-of-Year Report revealed 147 officers lost their lives while serving, compared to 118 in 2023.
Gunfire remained the leading cause of death, accounting for 52 fatalities, a 13% increase from 2023, according to the report. Nine officers were shot and killed during traffic enforcement, eight during arrest attempts and another eight while serving warrants or eviction papers. Additional deaths occurred during ambushes (5), tactical encounters (4) and responses to domestic disturbances (4). There were also three accidental shootings and two off-duty deaths involving robbery intervention.
Traffic-related fatalities saw the largest year-over-year increase, rising 48% from 31 deaths in 2023 to 46 in 2024, according to the report. Twenty-five officers were killed in automobile crashes, four in motorcycle crashes and 17 “struck-by” incidents, where officers were hit outside their vehicles — a 113% increase from eight such cases in 2023.
Other causes of death claimed the lives of 49 officers, including 35 fatal medical events and rarer incidents such as drownings (4), beatings (4) and aircraft crashes (2), according to the report. Two officers were stabbed, one was electrocuted and one died while assisting in a fire incident.
Texas reported the most officer fatalities in 2024, with 18 deaths, followed by New York with 17, federal agencies with 10, Illinois with nine and Florida with eight, according to the report. Fifteen states reported no line-of-duty deaths.
The average age of fallen officers was 42, with an average of 14 years of service. Most officers were male (139), while eight were female.
Since 1786, 24,067 officers’ names have been inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. The deadliest year on record remains 2021, with 586 officer deaths, according to the report. The NLEOMF plans to add at least 244 names to the memorial in spring 2025, representing both recent and historical line-of-duty deaths.
