The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reports U.S. line‑of‑duty police deaths fell from 148 in 2024 to 111 in 2025, the lowest level since 1943. Firearm fatalities dropped 15% to 44, and traffic‑related deaths declined nearly 23%. The National Fraternal Order of Police recorded a slight rise in officers shot on duty (342 → 347). The Memorial Fund’s report still excludes suicides as the organization explores how to honor those officers.
U.S. Line‑of‑Duty Police Deaths Fall to Lowest Level Since 1943, Report Finds
Number of police officers killed in line of duty hits level not seen in 80 years
U.S. law enforcement fatalities in the line of duty fell sharply in 2025, reaching levels not seen since World War II, according to a new report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
The Fund’s data, released Tuesday, show total line‑of‑duty deaths declined from 148 in 2024 to 111 in 2025 — the lowest annual total since 1943, when 94 officers were killed while on duty.
Officers wait for slain West York Borough Police Officer Andrew Duarte's funeral procession from Living Word Community Church, in Red Lion, Pa., Feb. 28, 2025.
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Firearm‑related deaths dropped 15%, from 52 in 2024 to 44 in 2025, representing the Fund’s lowest firearms total in at least a decade. "I always like to see that firearms deaths are down. They are the tip of the spear for egregious acts," Bill Alexander, the Fund’s chief executive officer, told The Associated Press. "Even one officer fatality is too many, and our ultimate goal is to have none. But we’re heartened by any decrease in those numbers."
Traffic‑related fatalities fell nearly 23% year over year. Alexander credited the decline to increased roadside safety efforts, wider adoption of "move‑over" laws and changes in policing tactics — for example, advising officers to approach stopped vehicles from the passenger side to reduce exposure to passing traffic.
An unidentified man participates in a Blue Lives Matter rally Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, in Kenosha, Wis.
While overall fatalities fell across every category, the National Fraternal Order of Police (NFOP), which tracks on‑duty shootings (both fatal and nonfatal), reported a slight increase in officers shot on duty: 347 in 2025 versus 342 in 2024. The NFOP data do not include incidents where officers were fired upon but not hit.
The report’s "other" category — which includes medical emergencies, stabbings, drownings and aviation accidents — decreased 37%, from 52 to 33. That figure includes 14 officers who later died from illnesses linked to their response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Police officers salute as other officers ride past on motorcycles in procession for a slain officer on Feb. 5, 2025.
The Memorial Fund’s report continues to exclude suicides; Alexander said the organization is discussing ways to recognize and honor officers who died by suicide and how to better acknowledge those losses.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Outlook: Advocates and police leaders say the declines highlight progress on safety measures — especially roadside protections — but stress that every death is avoidable and efforts must continue to reach the goal of zero line‑of‑duty fatalities.
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