Line of duty death of a police officer is death which occurs while an officer is conducting his or her appointed duties. Although the increased risk of being a victim of homicide, automobile accidents are most common cause of officer death. Police officers are more likely to be involved in traffic accidents because of their large amount of the time spent conducting vehicle patrols, directing traffic as well as their work outside their vehicles alongside or on a roadway.
Police officers killed by suspects make a small proportion of deaths. In the united states in 2005, 156 line of duty deaths were recorded to be 44% were from assaults on officers, 35% vehicle related and the rest from other causes such as heart attacks during arrests, diseases contracted from suspects body fluids or blood transfusion, accidental discharge, falls and drowning. Police officers who die in the line of their duty especially those who die from the actions of suspects are often given elaborate funerals, attended by large numbers of fellow officers.
The families of these police officers are also entitled to special pensions. Fallen officers are often remembered in public memorials, such as the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in the U.S., the National Police Memorial in the U.K. and the Scottish Police Memorial, at the Scottish Police College. It is important to always remember that police officers are very important in our society and should always be respected.
