Number of slain US police officers soars: FBI

May 12, 2015 02:10

More than 50 US police officers were slain in the line of duty last year, an 89 per cent increase on the number of fatalities in 2013, statistics released by the FBI showed today.

A total of 51 officers were killed in 2014, including 46 who died from firearms, compared to 27 in 2013.

Despite the increase, the number of fatalities in 2014 is below the average for the period since 1980 when figures first started being compiled by the FBI. Between 1980 and 2014, an average of 64 police officers have died each year.

The figures come against a backdrop of mounting nationwide tensions between law enforcement and the communities they police following a series of deaths of unarmed black men which have triggered unrest.

FBI director James Comey referenced the "especially challenging relationship between law enforcement and the communities we serve" in a video message to announce the statistics.

He called on law enforcement to "do our absolute best to try and see clearly those people we serve and to look for opportunities to have them see us."

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