The National Fraternal Order of Police announced Wednesday that 34 law enforcement officials were shot in the line of duty during January.
Three of them died.
The FOP noted in its report that January’s tally was an 89% spike over the total of January 2021 and up 113% relative to 2020. The FOP did not report numbers for January 2022.
Florida claimed two of those 34 incidents. California, Texas, and Kansas had the most, with three each.
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“This past year has been one of the most dangerous years for law enforcement in recent history due to the increase of violence directed towards law enforcement officers as well as the nationwide crime crisis, which has seen criminals emboldened by the failed policies of pandering prosecutors and cynical politicians,” National FOP President Patrick Yoes said in a statement to The Washington Times.
“Frankly, it is unlike anything I’ve seen in my 36 years of law enforcement.”
The shootings included eight “ambush-style” attacks on police, the FOP noted. Those attacks wounded eight and killed one. That number counts only casualties, and does not include “countless incidents” of ambushes where officers were shot at but not hit by gunfire, the group said.
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“Premeditated ambush-style attacks are particularly disturbing and
Pernicious,” the FOP added. “These types of attacks are carried out with an element of surprise and intended to deprive officers of their ability to defend against the attack.”
“Premeditated attacks contribute to a worrisome desensitization to evil acts that were once largely considered taboo except by the most depraved individuals.”
At this pace, 408 law enforcement officers will be shot this year.
The recent history shows a sharp distinction between the days before and after the May 2020 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which touched off numerous riots and fueled calls from Democrats to defund the police or restrict their methods.
In 2018 and 2019 combined, 530 officers nationwide were shot.
In 2021 and 2022, the combined total jumped to 677.
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