Protecting the Palm Beaches for December 29th:
Bottom Line: This weekly feature is designed to recognize those who've paid the ultimate price to serve their communities and to serve as a reminder of what our police risk to keep us safe. We highlight a remarkable effort by local law enforcement each week. Joel Malkin brings you the perspective in local news from leaders in local law enforcement.
I bring you the unfortunate news you need to know:
140 police officers died in the line of duty in 2016
124 police officers have died in the line of duty in 2017
6 officers have fallen in December
It's been a few weeks since I last updated this story and unfortunately, we lost five additional officers in the line of duty. An officer was shot and killed in Michigan while pursuing a robbery suspect. An officer was struck and killed by a vehicle in Maryland while assisting an FBI agent. An officer in South Carolina died in an accident while responding to a call. An officer in Arizona died while pursuing a suspect on foot. Most recently on Christmas Eve an officer was struck and killed by a drunk driver in California.
The average age of the officers at the time of their death was 42. The average length of time they'd served at the time of their passing is 13 years and 1 month. Nine of the officers that have died this year were serving in Florida. If we're looking for a silver lining - it would be that we'll have fewer officers falling in the line of duty this year compared to last.
Remember to back the badge and spread the word. The media often aren't there for our law enforcement but we can be. Let our police know we support them every chance you get. They need it, now more than ever, just as we need them more than ever.