Who’s Killing Our Cops and Why? The Justice Department Intends to Find Out
The Justice Department is preparing to review a rash of deadly attacks on police following the fatal shootings of 10 officers since Jan. 1.Bernard Melekian, the Justice Department’s Community Oriented Policing Services director, said analysts would study whether deficits in training, resources or officer behavior may have contributed to a troubling series of violent attacks in at least five states.
“I think it is too early to tell if there is an underlying theme here,” Melekian said Tuesday. “The fact is that police work is an inherently dangerous business; very often you don’t know where the danger is coming from.”
The Justice review comes after two officers were shot to death in St. Petersburg, Fla., Monday while police in Miami were mourning the murders of two officers there.
POLICE: 2 Fla. officers slain, suspect dead
“I have never seen anything like it,” said Craig Floyd, chairman of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which closely tracks officer deaths. “We must do everything in our power to stop these senseless and heinous crimes against our law enforcement personnel,” he said in a statement.
The January shootings follow a year in which overall police deaths increased 40% from 2009, including a 20% spike in the number killed by gunfire.
Less than a week before the end of the month, the 10 firearm-related police deaths mark the third-highest January total in the past 20 years, according to the police memorial fund.
“Coming off 2010, my gracious, it’s a really bad way to start a new year,” said Mark Marshall, president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Marshall, the police chief in Smithfield, Va., said the association is just beginning to assemble a national database, tracking assaults on police that result in serious injury and death.
The database, part of the Center for the Prevention of Violence Against the Police, will be used to help determine whether new training or resources are needed to better deal with violent confrontations.
“Clearly, there must be some common denominators out there,” Marshall said. “If we can identify some of them, we can do some good, even if it means one less officer is killed. This is of great concern to us.”
In recent years, police officials, including former Miami police chief John Timoney, have identified several factors contributing to the violence. Among them:
•More desperate offenders who are increasingly willing to target police.
•Officers’ inconsistent use of body armor. Some, including the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association, have suggested that up to half of all police do not wear armor regularly.
•Offenders’ access to high-caliber weapons.
“In some of these recent shootings in St. Petersburg, Miami and Detroit, it seems like these people were ready and willing (to target police),” Marshall said.
Four officers were wounded Sunday in Detroit when a gunman entered a neighborhood police precinct station and opened fire.
Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a law enforcement think tank, said many of the violent encounters have pitted police against high-risk offenders being sought by police in more focused efforts to combat crime in their communities.
“In these high-risk encounters, we need to take a hard look at how police are approaching these situations,” Wexler said.
In the Detroit attack, officers barely had a chance to respond. Police Sgt. Eren Stephens said the gunman, Lamar Moore, entered the station at 4:25 p.m. and began blasting away with a shotgun.
Two of the four wounded officers remain hospitalized. Moore, the subject of a sex crime investigation at the time, was killed in an exchange of gunfire.
In the aftermath of the attack, Stephens said metal detectors and or officer-screeners have been positioned at the entrances to all nine police buildings in the city as a precaution.
“We really don’t know (what drove Moore to attack),” Stephens said.
Melekian said he hopes the Justice Department review of the shootings will be instructive.
“We’d like to produce a document about what occurred that addresses the issues of training, equipment and the state of mind of the officers,” Melekian said.
“A lot of what happens is in the hands of the suspect. As an officer, you don’t know who you’ve talked to today who could have killed you but decided not to.”
Contributor [in part] USA Today
Part of it might be the fact that most cops violate your rights, lie, cheat, steal and brutalize people. Maybe some people are getting tired of it? Just maybe. For every action there is a reaction.
You say “most cops?” Bullshit. Only cop haters make statements like that, and they are usually criminals, or have had confrontations themselves with police, all merited but always resented.
It is an unfortunate consequence that those on the street and thus on the front lines of each and every societal change are caught in the cross fire and usually pay the price. Over the years when there have been apparent or real surges in police deaths there have been two things in common. First, there has been some type of social chaos in progress than seems to undermine the status quo in the country. Whether it was civil rights, the Vietnam War, the recent economic crisis, or the constant vitriol coursing throughout the country. Cops had little to do with most of them but they had to deal with the passions they inflamed. Secondly, police officers not following standard safety procedures. Generally speaking police training has include solid training on police officer survival in the field. Bur that training is only as good, and the safety equipment is only as good as it is used. Most studies indicate that officers killed in the line of duty might have survived if … they have follow procedure or worn their safety equipment.
With all that being said, it is sad that police officers have to be as cautious as they do and have to wear body armor to survive their jobs because society keeps creating problems.
Too many assholes with guns. One day this country is gonna wake up and realize the second amendment was written for different times. We no longer have Indian attacks nor do we need a standing militia. Guns should be confined to hunting weapons only-rifles and shotguns. No one in their right mind hunts with military type weapons and hand guns are for human hunting, not animal.
I agree with every word. There is no reason for anyone to own an assault rifle, except for the military and the police. The same can be said for handguns. If people want personal protection get a shotgun. It is far more effective.
If you don’t want a gun don’t get one but responsible Americans shouldn’t be punished for cuz politician’s and wall street are bankrupting our country into chaos. We live in a society where pizza shows up faster than cops.. If you outlaw guns only outlaws will have guns.. Do your research gun related crimes increased when countries ban guns!!! Look at Mexico…….
LOL! Or look at civilized countries like the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, and etc. Together they have less than 500 gun related crimes a year, whereas the US has close to 30,000. So get you facts together before spouting off.
I agree with Mother Hen. Another contributor can be with the across the board closing of mental facilities. Many of those suffering from mental illness can no longer receive the care they need, some of which who needs constant supervision and reminders to take their meds. A good example would be that kid, Jared Loughner, who shot all those people including Congresswoman Gifford. He needed to be in a facility. He was out of control. Their are so many Loughners out there. Who knows what will trigger them.
How bout a research done on the effects on society and crime after the nationwide closing of mental health facilities?
You make a good point Another Mother, and, quite frankly, one I had not seriously considered. I think I am going to spend some time at boj.gov to see what, if any, research has been done in this area. Thanks.
While mental health care is an issue, I’m not sure that our practices for institutionalizing the mentally ill have changed substantially for several decades. Many of those with severe, unmanaged mental illnesses are now instead in our jails and prisons–Though what might be happening with the current rate of unemployment is that more people who previously managed their mental illness with medications are losing access to their meds. Interesting point!
I wonder if there is a correlation between officer deaths and gun-related violent deaths in general? As unemployment rises, crime usually increases. These are the worst economic times many of these criminals have ever seen. The drugs are harder, the prisons fuller, the streets meaner. Having access to unnecessarily high caliber guns and ammo doesn’t do society (especially the enforcers of law) any favors.
Curiously there does not appear to be an increase in the crime rates in general, which in and of itself during tough economic times is most unusual. Then again, there are deeper issues such as better enforcement, technical superiority when it comes to catching the bad guys, and etc. The liberal climate of gun ownership on the other hand may be contributing, but the jury is not back yet on that question, and even if there were a direct link I doubt any significant steps would be taken. The NRA is one of the most powerful lobbies in the country and I can safely wager that those pols who are beholdin’ to them would never go against them. As a result: stalemate!