We’re now well past the halfway mark of 2025, and the number of line-of-duty losses is at a historic low. In fact, it’s been well over 100 years since we’ve seen a similar level of loss this far into the year. This is so important, let me make that statement again with different words: Line-of-duty deaths are running at the lowest level recorded in more than a century!
Without question, every officer we’ve lost this year has been one too many, and their sacrifice should weigh heavily on anyone who wears a badge. I can think of no finer way to honor our fallen than by doing everything possible to prevent further loss. Those of us involved in Below 100 — an effort to drive down the annual level of loss to fewer than 100 — like to put it this way: Honor the fallen by training the living. Let the lessons of past tragedies prevent future ones.
More than ever, Below 100 is achievable. We can accomplish something no one wearing a badge has ever seen. However, historic achievement won’t happen by chance. It will happen because of the choices we make in the hours, days and months ahead.
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For over a decade, Below 100 has emphasized that many of our losses are preventable and that by focusing on areas under an officer’s control, we can dramatically drive down line-of-duty losses. The program’s strength lies not in complexity, but in five fundamental and undeniable tenets that form the backbone of officer survival:
- Wear your belt
- Wear your vest
- Watch your speed
- WIN — What’s Important Now?
- Remember: Complacency kills!
At its core, Below 100 emphasizes that officer safety is a shared responsibility. The program encourages every member of law enforcement to take both individual and collective responsibility for their actions and for the safety of their colleagues. This means having the courage to speak up and address unsafe practices.
Although we’re at a historic low in line-of-duty deaths, this is not the time to coast or assume that the battle has been won. Just the opposite — this is a time to recommit to officer safety. FTOs, supervisors and managers, you have a unique responsibility to help officers make it home to their families. You have positional authority. The position you hold — the position that you asked for — comes with the authority and responsibility to ensure others are not taking unnecessary risks. Remember: Ignored behavior is condoned behavior.
Here’s a challenge for everyone who carries a badge: Take an honest look at your organization or the unit to which you’re assigned. If you had to predict where the next preventable tragedy might occur, what would you say? Most of you already know an area of vulnerability — a risky habit, a particular officer, a cultural weakness everyone sees but nobody addresses. This is where shared responsibility becomes real. Once you’ve determined an area of risk, take action. Have that courageous conversation. Challenge unsafe practices. Do not assume someone else will handle it — your colleague’s safety depends on your courage to speak up. I know officers who carry the guilt of not having spoken up and later admitting, “I knew something was going to happen.” Those words can haunt you for the rest of your life.
In the coming days, as you gather for roll call or leadership meetings, share this remarkable trend with your colleagues. Then pose the critical question: What specific steps can we take together to strengthen officer safety in our department? Make sure you follow through.
Individual vigilance saves lives, but collective commitment prevents tragedies.
The road to Below 100 is forged through individual actions and organizational commitment to take care of our people. The goal of Below 100 is not hypothetical. It is real, it is actionable, and the time is now. Step up to this challenge. Let’s make Below 100 a reality in 2025.
Learn more at Below100.org, including how to request or host training for your agency. And don’t miss this virtual event on July 22, broadcast from the National Law Enforcement Museum. Below 100 will be featured. Sign up (free) at this link.
