From: [REDACTED] at [hprnd.rose.hp.com] (Steve Kao)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns
Subject: Re: A probable FAQ
Date: 25 Oct 1993 21:34:24 GMT

                       STATISTICS ON POLICE DEATHS

One of the reasons always given as a justification for gun control laws is
the number of police officers killed. This prompted me to look at the
available data.

The FBI Uniform Crime Reports - Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted
show 828 officers feloniously killed in the line of duty from 1980 through
1989. For 1988, the last year for which data are presently available, there
were 78 officers feloniously killed in the line of duty and another 77 killed
by on the job accidents, primarily traffic accidents. The 1988 statistics are
typical for the ten year period.

These numbers are nationwide totals for sworn officers. They average together
both high risk urban areas and rural areas. Unfortunately, WITH SUCH A SMALL
SAMPLE SIZE, its questionable that any further breakdown is useful.

So, we have:
			Number of	Number of	Deaths per
			Workers(1000's)	Deaths		100,000

    Police officers	   550		  155		  28

Let's put this in perspective with some other industries. These figures are
from the National Safety Council Accident Facts, 1989 edition.

			Number of	Number of	Deaths per
			Workers(1000's)	Deaths		100,000

    Police officers	   550		  155		  28
    Agriculture, Farming,
	Fishing		 3,100		1,500		  48
    Mining, Quarrying	   800		  200		  25
    Construction	 6,500          2,200		  34
    Transportation,
	Public Utilities 5,800		1,400		  24



Expanding the search to include any on the job death or injury resulting in
days away from work gives these figures for 1987. These numbers are per 100
full time employees per year. Part time employees are factored in based on
hours worked.

			    Injuries per
    Industry		    100 workers
    -------------------------------------
    Police		     2.37
    Fire protection	     5.36
    Agriculture		     4.19
    Construction	     2.93
    Sawmills		     5.02
    Shipbuilding	     4.20
    Newspapers		     3.53
    Trucking		    17.55


Summary:
    As far as on the job death and injuries, being a police officer is about
as dangerous as being a miner or a utility worker. And a lot less dangerous
working in a sawmill, being a farmer, being a construction worker, or being a
long haul truck driver.