Slayings of Law Enforcement Officers Decline for 2nd Year

WASHINGTON —  Police work was slightly less perilous in 1984 as the number of American law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty declined for the second straight year, the FBI reported Saturday.

Based on preliminary figures, 72 law enforcement officers were slain in the line of duty in 1984, contrasted with 80 in 1983 and 92 the year before, FBI Director William H. Webster said.

Firearms were most frequently used in the slayings last year, the FBI report said.

It said that 66 officers died from gunshot wounds. Handguns were used in 46 of those cases, rifles in nine and shotguns in 11.

Among the remaining victims, two were killed with knives or cutting instruments, two were beaten to death, one was murdered by asphyxiation and one struck by a vehicle.

Geographically, 37 officers were killed in the Southern states, 13 in the West, 10 in the Midwest, 10 in the Northeast and 2 in Puerto Rico, the FBI said.

Of the victims, 34 were city police officers, 24 were county officers, 13 were employed by a state law enforcement agency and one was a federal officer.

The FBI said 35 officers were attempting to apprehend or arrest suspects when they were killed. Among those, eight were attempting to thwart robberies or were in pursuit of robbery suspects; four were involved in drug-related situations, two were responding to burglaries and 21 were attempting arrests for other crimes, the FBI said.

Ten victims were killed when investigating suspicious persons or circumstances, eight were killed when enforcing traffic laws, eight were slain when answering disturbance calls and another eight were ambushed, it said.

The report said that three officers were murdered when guarding or transporting prisoners.