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Officer Line Of Duty Deaths Drop In '08

By HERNANDO TODAY STAFF

Published: January 4, 2009

Line of duty deaths for law enforcement dropped 23 percent in 2008, a marked contrast when deaths in the previous year hit a two-decade high.

Better training and less-lethal weaponry played a big part in dropping the number of deaths from 181 to 140, according to Craig W. Floyd, chairman and chief executive officer of the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund.

A 40 percent reduction in gunfire deaths are among the positives found in the preliminary figures. Back in the 1970s, an average of 126 officers were killed every year by gunfire. Even when that number declined, shootings historically accounted for half of all deaths. In 2008, gunshot deaths represented less than 30 percent of the total.

For the first time, however, more than one out of 10 officers killed was a woman officer. A total of 15 deaths matches the record high in 2002.

The leading cause of death for the 11th year straight continues to be traffic-related incidents. And while that total dropped by more than 14 percent, the number of officers struck and killed outside their car — a traffic stop, for instance — rose.

A majority of the deaths continue to be accidents, as opposed to felonious circumstances. These include drowned (1), electrocution (1) and aircraft accidents (1).

The average age of officers killed was 40; length of service was 12 years.

The last line of duty death in Hernando County was Deputy Lonnie Coburn in 1978.

Fallen Officers

Here are the names of the eight officers killed in Florida in 2008:

Detective James Walker

Miami Police Department

Died: Tuesday, Jan. 8

Cause of Death: Gunfire

Correctional Officer Donna Fitzgerald

Florida Department of Corrections

Died: Wednesday, June 25

Cause of Death: Stabbed