Line Of Duty Deaths

by A. Shemonia

I recently watched the segment on America's Most Wanted (05-21-05) dedicated to slain police officers.

It was absolutely pathetic. It's one thing to honor police officers who have sacrificed their lives to save another, but host John Walsh seemed exceptionally deceptive in this production, as he conveniently neglected to mention that MOST officers who have "died in the line of duty", died due to common accidents, health issues and in many cases their own criminla activities.

The "America's Most Wanted" segment made absolutely no mention of this.

Instead it glorified every deceased officer as a national hero, including the clumsy oaf that fell and struck his head on the curb in front of the department, the officers that have shot themselves while cleaning/unloading their firearms, the officers that were accidentally shot and killed by their fellow officers, the officers that were killed in single-vehicle accidents due to their own inability to drive safely, weather disasters, etc.

2004 "line of duty" deaths:

* Aircraft accident: 3

1 died while on vacation, 1 died in an on-duty crash due to pilot error, 1 was a pilot who crashed his own plane during a stunt maneuver gone awry.

* Automobile accident: 35

This includes 9 incidents in which the officer was legally intoxicated, 17 while enroute to or from the work place and 10 while on vacation or other paid leave.

* Bomb: 2

1 died during a training exercise gone awry, 1 died in an ambush explosion.

* Drowned: 3

2 were the result of scuba diving accidents, one was the result of a boating accident involving the officers use of alcohol. 2 civillians also died in this boating accident.

* Electrocuted: 1

This officer was working on the electrical system in his own home.

* Explosion: 1

This single death was the result of a natural gas leak at his residence, the officers wife also died in this incident. It is reported that the officer had improperly installed a water heater the day before the explosion.

* Fall: 1

This officer fell from a scaffolding unit while working his part time construction job. His BAC was 0.09 at the time of death.

* Gunfire: 53

Of these gunfire deaths, 5 were the result of bar room or other off-duty brawls, 6 were related to domestic disputes in their own home, 3 were mistaken identity by their fellow officers.

* Gunfire (Accidental): 4

3 of these accidental gunfire deaths were the result of self inflicted gushot wounds, 1 was a hunting accident.

* Heart attack: 11

...Hardly a heroic way to go out.

* Motorcycle accident: 7

4 were killed in on-duty freeway traffic accidents, the remaining 3 are attributed to drag racing accidents, 2 of which involved alcohol use by the officer involved.

* Stabbed: 1

This single stabbing death was stabbed and killed by a convicted killer who had escaped from the Arizona Dept. of Corrections. The suspect remains at large.

* Struck by vehicle: 7

5 of these officers died while exiting their vehicle during routine traffic stops, 2 were run down by their own vehicles after neglecting to properly engage the vehicle in Park.

* Vehicular assault: 18

4 of these vehicular assaults were at the hand of their spouse during domestic disputes, 1 was at the hand of his father, 9 are labelled vehicular homicide because the driver was legally intoxicated at the time of the var vs officer accident. the remaining 4 were at the hand of suspected or wanted criminals.

* Weather/Natural disaster: 1

Dripping in heroism... One Florida hurricane faces capital murder charges.

* Vehicle pursuit: 6

3 were attributed to vehicle malfunction, 3 were attributed to unsafe driving conditions.