15% increase in police shooting deaths in the line of duty

So far this year, deaths of police officers shot in the line of duty have increased by 15% compared to the same period in 2021. There are now 45 officers who have fallen in this way, according to the OFDM (Officer Down Memorial Page).

In 2021, 458 officers died from all types of causes. This year there are already 167 deaths.

Crime waves

The increase in police deaths by firearms coincides with an increase in the number of officers who decide to leave the profession and a shortage of applicants. Fraternal Order of Police President Patrick Yoes noted that law enforcement is having a "manpower crisis."

Police defunding is a movement that took hold in 2020, with the death of George Floyd . This is a major factor in the police exodus recorded in recent years. Major progressive cities that decided to implement reductions in police budgets have seen crime skyrocket. Thus, in San Francisco, where Mayor London Breed defunded the Police, murders rose 17% in 2021, leading Breed to regret her decision.

New York is a similar case. Then-Mayor Bill de Blasio cut about $382 million to the NYPD in the 2021 budget. Result: the overall crime rate increased in July 2022 by 30.5% compared to July 2021, according to NYPD data.

In Chicago, crime is up 37%, according to the local police department. In 2021, the Windy City experienced one of its deadliest years: with more than 700 homicides. As reported in the Chicago Sun-Times, agents of various ranks said they felt under attack after a consent decree required the city to modify police practices following a ruling from the Department of Justice which found that the police had committed civil rights violations.

Record number of murders in 2021

FBI Director Christopher Wray said in an interview with Fox News that police killings are at record levels in recent years. In addition, he stated that, in the face of the growing demand for de-funding of the police, it should be ensured that agents at the local and federal level have all the tools they need to fight crime:

Wray noted that the rate of agents killed increased by 59% in 2021, while the total murder rate increased by 25%.