A report by the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) revealed that so far in 2022 a total of 302 law enforcement officers have been shot while on duty. Of these, 56 have died from gunshot wounds.
Gunshot injuries increased by 8% and fatalities by 27% compared to the same period in 2020. In 2022, 79 ambush mode attacks have been carried out against officers. The report notes:
Premeditated ambush-type attacks are particularly disturbing and pernicious. These types of attacks are carried out with an element of surprise and with the intention of depriving agents of their ability to defend themselves against attack. They contribute to a worrying desensitization towards evil acts that were largely considered taboo, except by the most depraved individuals.
States with the most injured
In 2020, 49% of shooting incidents involved an element of premeditation, representing "a 7% increase over 2019." According to Just The News, "Antipathy toward law enforcement has grown among some communities and pressure groups amid the rise of the Defund the Police movement in the wake of George Floyd's death."
Texas and Arizona had the highest number of police officers injured by gunfire, with 26 and 21 respectively. Followed by Georgia and Kentucky with 17 and 16 agents injured with firearms. Pennsylvania with 14, North Carolina and California with 13.
The states and territories belonging to the country that did not present a single injured officer (0) are: Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Am. Samoa and Guam.
Law enforcement "demonized"
These data support the words of FOP President Patrick Yoes, who warned a few months ago of the existence of "a crisis" in the police force structure. More officers are being shot because "the police have been demonized" which "has eroded the very confidence of the institution." In addition, Yoes noted that officers are leaving their jobs at a rate never seen before:
Because of the actions, and the turmoil that has occurred over the last two years, right now we have a labor crisis.... Law enforcement has been demonized by many. It has created a rift within this country and has eroded the very confidence of the institution and profession of law enforcement. And we are paying for it. We are paying for it with increased crime. And we are also paying for it in law enforcement officers. We see them leaving our profession at a rate we have never seen before.
Nationally, cities with more than 500,000 residents had an average of 2.54 police officers per 1,000 people last year, up from 2.75 in 2018, according to data collected by the FBI from police departments across the country. However, in the year 2000, the rate was 3.31.
