Top to Bottom: The 3 most recent peace officers killed in the line of duty: Deputy Michael Schaefer, Officer Jillian Smith and Deputy John Norsworthy
By: Charley Wilkison
America's law enforcement officer deaths are at an all time high and Texas holds the sad distinction of having lost the largest number of law enforcement officers in the line of duty than any other state.
160 federal, state and local law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty during the past year according to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund (NLEOMF).
Fifty-nine officers have been shot and killed during the past year, which is a 20 percent increase over the 49 killed by gunfire in 2009. Traffic-related incidents remained the number one cause of death among the nation's law enforcement officers for the 13th consecutive year. Seventy three officers have been killed in traffic related incidents compared to 51 in 2009, representing a 43 percent increase.
"Our law enforcment officers are being asked to do more today with less, and it is putting their lives at risk," said Craig W. Floyd, Chair of the NLEOMF. "In addition to their conventional crimefighting responsibilities, our law enforcment officers are on the front lines in the war against terror here at home. Yet, there are fewer officers on the street and other precious resources, such as training and equipment dollars are also being cut as a result of the economic downtown," he said.
In addition to the officers killed by firearms or in traffic related incidents, 19 officers died as a direct result of job related illnesses, two were beaten, two drowned, two officers suffered fatal falls, two died in aircraft crashes and one died in a boating incident.
In Texas, there have been 18 line-of-duty deaths this year, 30 in the past 24 months and 1, 755 officers killed in the line of duty since statehood.
The last week of the year was one of the most deadly of 2010 with Officer Ann O'Donnell, University of Houston Police Department being killed in a vehicle pursuit on December 24, Uvalde County Deputy Micheal Schaefer suffering a fatal heart attack on Christmas Day while struggling to subdue and arrest a suspect, and Arlington Police Department Officer Jillian Smith was shot to death on December 28th while protecting a 9 year old child during a family violence incident.
The Peace Officers Memorial Foundation, the charitable arm of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas is tasked each year with developing and funding a memorial service to honor Texas fallen officers for the past bienniem at the Texas Capitol in Austin. This year the candlelight vigil will be held at the Texas Peace Officer's monument on Sunday evening, May 1, 2011 and the memorial service will be held the following day on the south steps of the state Capitol at 11 AM. The public is welcome to attend. To learn more go to www.pomf.org
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