Editorial: Law enforcement still a hazardous profession

Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1999 | 10:20 a.m.

Craig Floyd, chairman of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, told USA Today that he believes one reason for the drop in murders is because there are so many more police officers on the streets -- 740,000 police officers today compared to just 672,000 in 1992.

Now the bad news. While most of us are safer, the same can't be said for police officers whose jobs are no less dangerous. In 1998, 155 law enforcement officers were murdered, about the same as 1997's 160 on-duty murders.

To provide some statistical perspective, the nation's murder rate is about seven deaths for every 100,000 residents. But there are 21 on-duty deaths for every 100,000 police officers, statistics that chillingly demonstrate how deadly law enforcement can be.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund asserts that with more officers on the streets acting as a buffer between criminals and law-abiding residents, officers are often placed in harm's way, making it more likely they will be killed. Law enforcement seems to grow more dangerous every year. So when reflecting on 1998, we should remember the 155 police officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we could enjoy a safer year.

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