U.S. Police Fatalities increase 13% in 2011; Firearms Leading Cause of Death

According to preliminary data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 173 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2011, up from 153 in 2010. This represents a 13% increase over 2010 and a 42% increase from 2009, when 122 officers were killed. Gunfire was the leading cause of death in 2011, claiming 68 lives, a near record high. Traffic-related accidents ranked second, claiming 64.