US: More than 60,000 police officers assaulted in 2020; 31% injured, informs FBI

FBI's data estimates that more than 60,000 officers were assaulted in line of duty in 2020, in US with more than 40 de, and 30.9 per cent of m, which is 18,568, were injured. information was drawn from 9,895 law enforcement ncies to reach figure of 60,105, an increase of 4,071 from 2019, as per reports of ABC News. According to FBI, majority of assaults on officers occurred after y responded to disturbance reports, such as family conflicts and bar fights.

Jason Johnson, President of Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF) said that increased assaults on cops occur at a time when y are apparently under attack on all fronts, as per news network. According to most recent FBI data, 54 policemen were slain while on duty in first nine months of 2021, compared to 37 in same period of 2020.

Percent of officers departing or retiring surged

According to new LELDF data, percent of officers departing or retiring surged by double digits from June 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021, in aftermath of George Floyd's killing and ensuing demonstrations. case of Chicago officer Ella French, who was shot during a traffic check in August, has alrey dominated helines this year. French, who was just 29 years old, was city's first female officer slain in course of duty since 1988, and first Chicago police officer killed in line of duty since 2018, according to news network.

In a statement provided to Fox News on Tuesday, Patrick Yoes, National President of Fraternal Order of Police, attributed uptick in violence against law enforcement officers to "lingering animosity toward law enforcement officers, overheated political rhetoric, and a decline in respect for law and order." According to him, 100 law enforcement officers have been shot in 81 separate ambush-style incidents this year, which is a 153 per cent rise from this time last year.

FBI Director's statement

FBI Director Christopher Wray said in an interview last week that law enforcement officers se days are dealing with a bro spectrum of threats at a time when  work is more perilous than ever, according to Fox 7. He warned that risks are quite serious and constant. He also empathised with officers who lost ir lives saying that every single one of m was a son, daughter, far, mor, husband or wife.

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