On Monday, May 12, 2025, the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program released the ‘Officers Killed and Assaulted in the Line of Duty, 2024 Special Report‘ and data from the Law Enforcement Employee Counts on the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer.
“Officers Killed and Assaulted in the Line of Duty, 2024 Special Report” provides preliminary counts of law enforcement officers killed and assaulted in 2024, as well as an in-depth analysis of law enforcement officers who were killed or assaulted from 2015 through 2024, based on the data voluntarily provided by law enforcement agencies to the FBI’s UCR Program.
In 2024, 64 officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty. That is consistent with the number of officers feloniously killed in the previous two years; however, the rate of assaults against officers increased from 2022 to 2024. Firearms were the most reported weapon used in fatal incidents.
Information about offenders of officer felonious killings in 2024 shows there were 61 offenders reported for the felonious deaths. Of these offenders, 95.9% were male, 57.9% were white, and 32 offenders were reported to have a prior criminal record.
For each of the 10 years under consideration, the South region had the most line-of-duty deaths. There was a 45% increase in the deaths in that region in 2024 (29 deaths) compared to 2023 (20 deaths).
Agencies reported 85,730 officer assaults in 2024, indicating a rate of 13.5 assaults per 100 officers, marking the highest officer assault rate in the past 10 years.
The number of officers assaulted and injured by firearms has climbed over the years, reaching a 10-year high in 202,3 with approximately 500 officers assaulted and injured by firearms. In 2024, the number of officers assaulted and injured by firearms dropped to approximately 457 officers.
Most accidental deaths of law enforcement officers from 2020 to 2024 can be attributed to motor vehicle accidents.
Also released today was the 2024 information from the Law Enforcement Employee Counts Data Collection. Law enforcement agencies provide these counts to the FBI annually and account for all full-time sworn law enforcement officers and civilian employees.
This information may be used by city, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to establish manpower needs and to provide effective enforcement and protection.
The LEOKA Data Collection compiles abundant information that can help a nationwide audience gain insight into the details of officer deaths and assaults. The data presented in this LEOKA report is published to aid the law enforcement community by providing information to positively impact their training and keep them safe as they diligently perform their duties.
Analysis of this data shows the number of felonious officer deaths for each of the last three years (2022-2024) was consistent; however, over the same period, the rate of assaults against officers has increased. Firearms were the most reported weapon used in fatal incidents, followed by vehicles.
LEOKA assault data shows that in 2024, officers were assaulted at a rate of 13.5 assaults per 100 officers, which is the highest officer assault rate in the past 10 years. In 2024, the number of officers assaulted and injured by firearms was approximately 457.
From 2021 to 2023, the rate of officers assaulted with firearms was highest, with each year showing a firearm assault rate of 5.8 or more assaults per 1,000 officers. In 2024, officers who were assaulted and injured most often sustained minor injuries.
The LEOKA data for 2020 to 2024 accidental deaths of law enforcement officers shows an overwhelming majority of accidents involved motor vehicles, and patrol was the most common activity officers were performing. Instances of officers being struck by a vehicle increased from 2023 to 2024, while the number of motor vehicle accidents continued to decline.
The full report may be found in the Special Reports section on the FBI’s CDE.
