FBI Crime Statistics (Uniform Crime Reports)

All of the information for the next few entries come from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) and is available on-line at their website: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm.

Let me give you my initial thoughts.  Any attempt to conduct analysis based solely on statistical data is dangerous.  I don’t have access to official reports other than what is listed with the FBI.  If there is any dispute about the conclusions I draw, please contact me so we can reconcile it.  Also, if there are any Law Enforcement Officers who have access to the raw data, I’d love to go over it and improved the fidelity of our study.  That said, let’s look at an overview of LEOs were assaulted and killed in 2007.

57 LEO were killed in 51 incidents in 25 states and Puerto Rico.  9 LEOs were killed in Texas (the most of any state).  The average age of LEOs killed was 37 years and the average law enforcement experience was 10 years.  What can we draw from this?  Well the averages are just that….average.  It appears that “rookies” are just as often to be feloniously killed as a LEO with 20 years experience…on average.

What about time of day?  It will come as no surprise to many of you that most assaults occur in the evening hours.  Almost half, 46.5% of ALL assaults occur between 4pm and midnight.  The FBI uses midnight as the break between days.  Cops know that this isn’t necessarily the case.  If you look at the 8 hour period occuring from 6pm to 2am, you can account for over 49% of felony assaults that resulted in a LEO killed.  That’s half the deadly assaults in one 8 hour shift.

Midnight to 2am was the most dangerous period, with 12 of the 57 officers killed during this timeframe.  The only period with zero deaths, was 4am to 6am…hey, criminals need sleep too.

Lets talk about what we do with this information.  Sure, it’s kinda cool to look at it but who really cares?  How does it affect me and the department?  The first thing to understand is that LEOs are in danger of being assaulted and killed throughout the day.  The other (most important) thing to take away is also the most simple.  LEOs are killed most often during evening twilight, and night time hours.  If you aren’t conducting training during these hours, you’re unnecessarily placing your officers at risk.  Let me say it another way.  Bad guys are killing cops at night, so cops should be training to fire their weapons at night.  Low-light and no-light techniques need to be discussed and tactics perfected.  Daylight “square range” training has a place for building foundational skills for a shooter.  In fact, it’s the preferred time and venue for teaching new skills.  Nighttime engagements are when you put the pieces together and become true professionals.

Start conducting your annual or semi-annual qualifications at night.  If an officer can pass at night, he can pass during the day.  All it means is that the rangemaster / instructor has to alter their schedule to meet the true training needs of their LEOs.  Small price to pay.

Please contact info@jedburgh-usa.com for feedback on the blog or discuss training needs.  Also, feel free to post your comments.