Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Line of Duty Deaths in the 21st Century


The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP) maintains an extensive database with information on the more than 22,000 law enforcement line of duty deaths (LODDs) in United States history.  This data, though, is only useful if it is analyzed and publicized so that people can understand how, where, and when line of duty deaths most often occur.

With this thought in mind, ODMP director Chris Cosgriff set out to create a visual representation of our most recent LODDs---those that have taken place since 2000---with the hope that law enforcement agencies, training academies, and other groups will display it, share it, and learn from it.

Says Cosgriff, "The ODMP infographic showing line of duty deaths in the US from 2000-2014 gives a stark look at the dangers and truths of modern law enforcement, and illustrates in simple terms the sacrifice that law enforcement officers make.  Looking at these statistics, it is clear that line of duty deaths can happen to any officer--young or old, rookie or veteran.  It's vital that we use our information to educate the public and law enforcement officers alike on the real dangers that exist today." 

With this information, ODMP hopes to raise awareness so that the public can truly understand the dangers that law enforcement officers face and so that officers can adjust their tactics, driving habits, and so on in order to improve their own safety.

This poster is available as a free download on the Officer Down Memorial Page website.  It is printable up to sixe 13x19.