Protecting The Palm Beaches, A Tribute to Those Who Serve and Sacrifice – July 26th, 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 3% higher year-to-date.
- We lost 123 heroes in the line-of-duty in 2023 including 3 in Florida
- We’ve lost 80 heroes in the line-of-duty in 2024 including 1 in Florida
- Through June 193 law enforcement officers had been shot in the line of duty, a decrease of 2% over a year ago.
We’ve lost these heroes since the previous update.
- In New York, Officer Edgar Ordonez died of injuries sustained during a training exercise.
- In Michigan, Corporal Mohamed Said (pictured) was murdered while responding to an emergency call at a business. While in pursuit of a suspect, who’d recently been released on parole, he was fired upon and died from his injuries. Following a manhunt the suspect was apprehended the next day.
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 80 law enforcement professionals in the line-of-duty this year, there are 47 widows and 97 children who’ve lost a parent.