Protecting The Palm Beaches, A Tribute to Those Who Serve and Sacrifice
Bottom Line: This weekly feature is designed to recognize those who've paid the ultimate price in service and to serve as a reminder of what our police risk to keep us safe. After years of increases in LODs, including multiple record years, thankfully 2023 produced the fewest line-of-duty deaths in the 2000’s. Let’s pray for the improvement to continue this year.
- We lost 123 heroes in the line-of-duty in 2023 including 3 in Florida
- We’ve lost 42 heroes in the line-of-duty in 2024 including 1 in Florida
We’ve lost these heroes since the previous update.
- In Nebraska, Officer Ross Barlett was struck and killed while conducting a traffic stop.
- In Tennessee, Officer Joseph McKinney (pictured) was murdered while responding to reports of a suspicious vehicle. Upon approaching the vehicle, the suspects fired at responding officers and fled. The responding officers pursued the suspects eventually leading to a standoff in which the officers were fired upon once again. One suspect was shot and killed with return fire, the other was critically injured. The driver had recently been released without bail on weapons and grand larceny charges recently. Joseph is survived by his wife.
- In Kentucky, Sergeant William Jackson II died due to injuries sustained while detaining a suspect arrested for disorderly conduct. He’s survived by a wife and three children.
- In New York, Officer Michael Jensen and Lieutenant Michael Hoosock were murdered while in pursuit of a suspect who’d fled a traffic stop. Following a chase the suspect opened fire on the responding officers killing Officer Jensen and Lieutenant Hoosock who is survived by a wife and three children.
- In Indiana, Deputy Fred Fislar was electrocuted while responding to a crash scene. A Marine Corps veteran, he’s survived by a wife and two children.
As we reflect on those we’ve lost, please remember the families of our fallen as well. The average age is 40, the average tour-of-duty – 10 years. In addition to losing 42 law enforcement professionals in the line-of-duty this year, there are 23 widows and 52 children who’ve lost a parent.