# Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2002/Section I — Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed

Methodology
This section contains data regarding accidental deaths of duly sworn local, state, and federal law enforcement officers who met the same criteria as the officers who were feloniously killed. The officers were working in an official capacity, had full arrest powers, were wearing a badge (ordinarily), carried a firearm (ordinarily), and were paid from governmental funds set aside specifically for payment of sworn law enforcement representatives.
Overview
According to data reported by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, 77 law enforcement officers were accidentally killed while acting in official capacities in 2002. These officers' deaths occurred in 32 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. City police departments employed 29 of the victim officers; county police and sheriff's offices employed 24 officers; state agencies employed 14 of the officers; federal agencies employed 8; and Puerto Rico employed 2 of the victim officers. (See Table 53.) Seventy-three separate incidents, including one that occurred in 1999 and another that occurred in 2001, claimed the lives of the 77 officers. The 77 officers killed in accidents in 2002 was one fewer than the 78 accidental deaths reported in 2001. A comparison of the data from 5 and 10 years ago showed that the number of officers killed in 2002 was 5 fewer than the 82 accidentally killed in 1998 and 18 more than the 59 accidentally killed in 1993. (Based on Table 44.)
Victims
The average age of the 77 law enforcement officers accidentally killed in 2002 was 39. According to data provided to the national Program, 5 victim officers were under the age of 25, and 13 officers were from 25 to 30 years of age. Twenty-nine officers were from 31 to 40 years of age, and 29 officers were 40 years of age or older. The age of 1 of the victim officers was not available. By race, 71 of the officers accidentally killed were white, 2 were black, and 2 were American Indian/Alaskan Native. Race was not available for 2 victim officers. (See Tables 48 and 49.)
Collectively, officers accidentally killed in 2002 had an average of 10 years of law enforcement service. Four officers had less than 1 year of service, 20 officers had from 1 to 4 years of service, 21 officers had from 5 to 10 years of experience, and 31 officers had served over 10 years. Law enforcement experience was not reported for 1 victim. (See Table 50.)
Circumstances Surrounding Deaths
The data collected about the circumstances surrounding officers' accidental deaths revealed that the largest number of officers (42) were killed in automobile accidents, 12 were struck by vehicles, 7 died in motorcycle accidents, and 6 were killed in aircraft accidents. Three officers were accidentally shot, and 7 died in other accidental situations. (See Table 53.)
In the 10-year period, 1993 through 2002, 55.9 percent of the victim officers were killed in automobile accidents and 16.3 percent were struck by vehicles. Additionally, 8.5 percent of the victim officers were involved in aircraft accidents and 7.2 percent were fatally injured in motorcycle accidents. Data also showed that 4.3 percent of the victim officers were accidentally shot, and 7.8 percent of the deaths involved other accidental situations. (Based on Table 52.)
Places
Of the 77 accidental deaths reported to the national UCR Program in 2002, 40 occurred in the South. Twenty line-of-duty deaths occurred in the West, 10 in the Midwest, and 5 in the Northeast. Two victim officers were killed in accidents in Puerto Rico.
From 1993 through 2002, law enforcement agencies in the South reported 325 accidental deaths, agencies in the West reported 149, those in the Midwest recorded 124, and agencies in the Northeast reported 63 officer deaths. Law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Territories reported 20 officer deaths during this 10-year period. (See Table 44.)
Times
During 2002, the greatest number of fatal injuries (11) occurred during the hours of 12:01 p.m. to 2 p.m. The fewest number of injuries resulting in officers' accidental deaths (2) in 2002 occurred from 4:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. The time of the incident regarding the accidental death of 1 victim officer was not available. In 2002, 63.2 percent of accidental officer deaths occurred from 12:01 p.m. to midnight. (See Table 45.)
During the past decade, the majority of officers killed in accidents (11.7 percent) were injured during the hours of 10:01 p.m. to midnight. The fewest officers (6.2 percent) were fatally injured within the time frames of 4:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. and 6:01 a.m. to 8 a.m. From 1993 to 2002, 53.1 percent of the incidents in which victim officers were accidentally killed or fatally injured occurred from 12:01 p.m. to midnight. (Based on Table 45.)
A breakdown of the 2002 data by day of the week showed that more officers (23) received fatal injuries due to accidental situations on Wednesday than on any other day of week. The fewest officers, 5, were injured on ​Sunday. Similarly, during the 10-year span of 1993 to 2002, the majority of officers (109) were fatally injured on Wednesday, and the fewest officers (77) received fatal injuries on Sunday. (See Table 46.)
A review of the 2002 data by month revealed that 10 victim officers were fatally injured in June, which had more officers killed accidentally than any other month. No officers suffered fatal injuries in accidents in April. During the 10-year period 1993 to 2002, more officers (71) were involved in fatal accidents in October than in any other month. Over the same time frame, the fewest number (38) of officers were fatally injured in April. (See Table 47.)
Table 44 :
| Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed ||||||||||||
| Region, Geographic Division, and State, 1993-2002 ||||||||||||
| Area | Total | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Total | 681 | 59 | 62 | 59 | 52 | 63 | 62 | 65 | 84 | 78 | 77 |
| NORTHEAST | 63 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 5 | 5 |
| New England | 20 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Connecticut | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Maine | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Massachusetts | 11 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Vermont | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Middle Atlantic | 43 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
| New Jersey | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| New York | 20 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Pennsylvania | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| MIDWEST | 124 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 13 | 10 |
| East North Central | 81 | 9 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 8 | 4 |
| Illinois | 15 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Indiana | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | l |
| Michigan | 17 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Ohio | 18 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Wisconsin | 12 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| West North Central | 43 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Iowa | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kansas | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Minnesota | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Missouri | 21 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| Nebraska | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North Dakota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| South Dakota | l | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| SOUTH | 325 | 26 | 30 | 31 | 23 | 23 | 41 | 36 | 35 | 40 | 40 |
| South Atlantic | 152 | 14 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 21 |
| Delaware | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| District of Columbia | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Florida | 42 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| Georgia | 23 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Maryland | 16 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| North Carolina | 29 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| South Carolina | 17 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Virginia | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| West Virginia | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 ​ |
| East South Central | 61 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
| Alabama | 16 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Kentucky | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Mississippi | 13 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Tennessee | 26 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| West South Central | 112 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 12 |
| Arkansas | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Louisiana | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Oklahoma | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Texas | 59 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 9 |
| WEST | 149 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 23 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 20 |
| Mountain | 55 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Arizona | 18 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Colorado | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Idaho | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Montana | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nevada | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| New Mexico | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Utah | 9 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Wyoming | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pacifc | 94 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
| Alaska | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| California | 65 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 6 |
| Hawaii | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Oregon | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Washington | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| U.S. TERRITORIES | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| American Samoa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Guam | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mariana Islands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Puerto Rico | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Table 45 :
| Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed ||||||||||||
| Time of Day, 1993-2002 ||||||||||||
| Time | Total | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Total | 681 | 59 | 62 | 59 | 52 | 63 | 82 | 65 | 84 | 78 | 77 |
| A.M. |
| 12:01 - 2 | 73 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 4 |
| 2:01 - 4 | 57 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 3 |
| 4:01 - 6 | 41 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 6:01 - 8 | 41 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| 8:01 - 10 | 47 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 |
| 10:01 -Noon | 50 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| P.M. |
| 12:01 - 2 | 58 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 11 |
| 2:01 - 4 | 65 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 7 |
| 4:01 - 6 | 48 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 6:01 - 8 | 50 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
| 8:01 - 10 | 52 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| 10:01 -Midnight | 77 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 7 |
| Time not reported | 22 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Table 46 :
| Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed ||||||||||||
| Day of Week, 1993-2002 ||||||||||||
| Day | Total | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Total | 681 | 59 | 62 | 59 | 52 | 63 | 82 | 65 | 84 | 78 | 77 |
| Sunday | 77 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Monday | 91 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 7 |
| Tuesday | 108 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 7 | 15 | 13 | 15 |
| Wednesday | 109 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 23 |
| Thursday | 91 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 9 |
| Friday | 103 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 17 | 11 | 8 |
| Saturday | 102 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
Table 47 :
| Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed ||||||||||||
| Month, 1993-2002 ||||||||||||
| Month | Total | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Total | 681 | 59 | 62 | 59 | 52 | 63 | 82 | 65 | 84 | 78 | 77 |
| January | 63 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 7 |
| February | 66 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 4 |
| March | 44 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 3 |
| April | 38 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| May | 56 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 8 |
| June | 59 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 10 |
| July | 69 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 7 |
| August | 50 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
| September | 53 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 9 |
| October | 71 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
| November | 56 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| December | 56 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 9 |
Table 48 :
| Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed ||||||||||||
| Profile of Victim Officers, Age Groups, 1993-2002 ||||||||||||
| Victim officers | Total | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Total | 681 | 59 | 62 | 59 | 52 | 63 | 82 | 65 | 84 | 78 | 77 |
| Age |
| Under 25 years | 47 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
| 25 - 30 years | 171 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 14 | 18 | 19 | 13 |
| 31 - 40 years | 233 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 24 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 29 |
| Over 40 years | 225 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 9 | 20 | 34 | 22 | 33 | 28 | 29 |
| Age not reported | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Average years of age | 37 | 38 | 36 | 35 | 35 | 36 | 38 | 37 | 38 | 38 | 39 |
Table 49 :
| Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed ||||||||||||
| Profile of Victim Officers, Race and Sex, 1993-2002 ||||||||||||
| Victim officers | Total | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Total | 681 | 59 | 62 | 59 | 52 | 63 | 82 | 65 | 84 | 78 | 77 |
| Race |
| White | 586 | 49 | 56 | 45 | 44 | 51 | 68 | 60 | 74 | 68 | 71 |
| Black | 65 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 2 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| American Indian/ Alaskan Native | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Race not reported | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Sex |
| Male | 638 | 55 | 60 | 56 | 48 | 60 | 74 | 62 | 80 | 72 | 71 |
| Female | 43 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
Table 50 :
| Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed ||||||||||||
| Profile of Victim Officers, Years of Service, 1993-2002 ||||||||||||
| Victim officers | Total | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Total | 681 | 59 | 62 | 59 | 52 | 63 | 82 | 65 | 84 | 78 | 77 |
| Years of service |
| Less than 1 year | 39 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 1-4 years | 178 | 10 | 19 | 13 | 11 | 21 | 27 | 14 | 21 | 22 | 20 |
| 5-10 years | 190 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 21 |
| Over 10 years | 260 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 22 | 33 | 27 | 40 | 32 | 31 |
| Years of service not reported | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Average years of service | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
Table 51 :
| Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed ||||||
| Profile of Victim Officers, 5- and 10- Year Averages, 1983-2002 ||||||
| Victim officers | 2002 | 5-year averages | 5-year averages | 10-year averages | 10-year averages |
| Victim officers | 2002 | 1993-1997 | 1998-2002 | 1993-2002 | 1983-1992 |
| Average |
| Age (years) | 39 | 36 | 38 | 37 | 36 |
| Service (years) | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Height | 5' 11" | 5' 11" | 5' 10" | 5' 10" | 5' 11" |
Table 52 :
| Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed ||||||||||||
| Circumstance at Scene of Incident, 1993-2002 ||||||||||||
| Circumstance | Total | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
| Total | 681 | 59 | 62 | 59 | 52 | 63 | 82 | 65 | 84 | 78 | 77 |
| Automobile accidents | 381 | 38 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 49 | 41 | 42 | 38 | 42 |
| Motorcycle accidents | 49 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Aircraft accidents | 58 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 6 |
| Struck by vehicles | 111 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 12 |
| Traffic stops, roadblocks, etc. | 38 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 4 |
| Directing traffic, assisting motorists, etc. | 73 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 8 |
| Accidental shootings | 29 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Crossfires, mistaken for subject, firearm mishaps | 17 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Training sessions | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Self-inflicted, cleaning mishaps (not apparent or confirmed suicides) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Other accidental (falls, drownings, etc.) | 53 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 7 |
Table 53 :
| Law Enforcement Officers Accidentally Killed |||||||||
| State and Agency by Circumstance at Scene of Incident, 2002 |||||||||
| State Agency | Total | Automobile accidents | Motorcycle accidents | Aircraft accidents | Struck by vehicles | Accidental shootings | Other accidental | (Detail) |
| Total | 77 | 42 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 7 |
| ALABAMA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Department of Public Safety, Mobile | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Prichard | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ALASKA | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Department of Corrections, Anchorage | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| National Park Service, King Salmon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ARIZONA | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chandler | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Phoenix | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scottsdale | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | (explosion) |
| ARKANSAS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| State Police, Little Rock | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CALIFORNIA | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Highway Patrol, Santa Cruz | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Orange County | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| San Fernando | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| San Francisco | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| U.S. Border Patrol, Chula vista | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| COLOARADO | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Department of Natural Resources, Denver | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| U.S. Park Police | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| FLORIDA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Columbia County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Union County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GEORGIA | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| DeKalb County Police | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| East Point | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ILLINOIS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bellwood | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chicago | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | (struck by train) ​ |
| INDIANA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marion County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| KENTUCKY | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Department of Charitable Gaming, Frankfort | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trimble County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LOUISIANA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| St. John the Baptist Parish | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| MARYLAND | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Baltimore | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Baltimore County Police | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maryland National Capital Park Police, Montgomery County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MINNESOTA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| St. Louis County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| U.S. Forest Service, Cass Lake | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MISSISSIPPI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, Jackson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MISSOURI | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Highway Patrol, Willow Springs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jasper County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | (drowning) |
| St. Louis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Truesdale | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| MONTANA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bureau of Indian Affairs, Box Elder | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | (drowning) |
| NEVADA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reno | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NEW JERSEY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| State Police, Cranbury | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 ​ |
| NEW MEXICO | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Albuquerque | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bureau of Indian Affairs, Santa Fe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | (drowning) |
| NEW YORK | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Buffalo | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cheektowaga Town | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| State Police, Tarrytown | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NORTH CAROLINA | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Boone | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charlotte-Mecklenburg | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chowan County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pender County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Raleigh | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wayne County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| OHIO | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, New Philadelphia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | (struck by tree) |
| OKLAHOMA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Department of Public Safety, Enid | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OREGON | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josephine County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Portland Police Bureau | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PENNSYLVANIA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Plumstead Township | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SOUTH CAROLINA | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Berkeley County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Clarendon County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elloree | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Highway Patrol, Florence | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Summerville | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| TENNESSEE | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clarksville | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 ​ |
| TEXAS | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Coryell County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eagle Lake | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harris County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Harrison County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Houston | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Houston County | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Liberty County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| U.S. Border Patrol, Weslaco | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UTAH | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Iron County | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VIRGINIA | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dinwiddie County | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| State Police, Fairfax Station | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WASHINGTON | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Seattle | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | (fall from horse) |
| U.S. TERRITORIES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Puerto Rico | |
| Hato Rey | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| San Juan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |