Criminal shootings of police officers in 2022 have increased by 19% compared to this time last year, which was already higher than any year since the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) started keeping track in 2015.
So far this year, 178 police officers have been shot in the line of duty, including 57 who were attacked ambush-style, and 33 who were killed, according to an FOP report. In all of 2021, 346 officers were shot, including 63 who died. This year is on pace to top those numbers.
🚨 NEW REPORT ➡️ The violence against the brave men and women of law enforcement continues. So far this year:
⚠️ 178 Officers Shot
⚠️ 33 Officers Killed by Gunfire
⚠️ 57 Officers Shot in 35 Ambush-Style Attacks pic.twitter.com/Ew3t5SqfK1
— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) July 1, 2022
In 2020, FBI crime data showed violence against police officers dramatically increased with more than 60,000 assaults on law enforcement officers while in the line of duty — a substantial increase from 2019.
“It’s really getting to a crisis moment here,” National FOP President Patrick Yoes said in April when discussing violence against police on NewsNation. “Two years of anti-police rhetoric has certainly taken its toll on our profession. And add to that this kind of revolving door in a lot of cities that are taking violent offenders and allowing them to get out of jail early.” (RELATED: Arizona Officer Shot And Killed During Traffic Stop)
The FOP is the largest law enforcement organization in the world with 346,000 members.