Protecting The Palm Beaches, A Tribute to Those Who Serve and Sacrifice – June 14th, 2024
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. Unfortunately, that progress hasn’t been sustained this year. LODs are 7% higher year-to-date.
- We lost 123 heroes in the line-of-duty in 2023 including 3 in Florida
- We’ve lost 65 heroes in the line-of-duty in 2024 including 1 in Florida
- Through May 164 law enforcement officers had been shot in the line of duty, a decrease of 1% over a year ago.
We’ve lost this hero since the previous update.
- In Virginia, Sergeant Floyd Miles, Jr. (pictured) died of injuries sustained when he was attacked by a suspect who he was delivering medical attention to. The suspect crashed his vehicle into the sergeant’s vehicle. While Floyd was responding to the injuries sustained by the suspect, he was attacked leading to fatal injuries. An Army veteran, he’s survived by his wife.
As we reflect on those we’ve lost, please remember the families of our fallen as well. The average age is 39, the average tour-of-duty – 11 years. In addition to losing 65 law enforcement professionals in the line-of-duty this year, there are 38 widows and 76 children who’ve lost a parent.