Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue 

Alert Act Report to Congress May 2022 

United States Department of Justice 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contents 

I. Purpose....................................................................................................................................................... 

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II. Background 1 

III. Coordinator Duties/Activities 2 

Designation of National Coordinator and Deputy National Coordinator 2 

Establishment of Advisory Group and quarterly meetings 2 

Development of voluntary guidelines and protocols 3 

Information repositories and delivery of technical assistance 4 

Engagement with stakeholders ................................................................................................................. 

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Cooperation with other federal agencies 5 

Promotion of the Blue Alert Act ................................................................................................................ 

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Coordination with United States Attorneys' Offices 7 

IV. Blue Alerts Issued 8 

V. Effectiveness and Status of Blue Alert Plans 10 

VI. Officers Shot in the Line of Duty 12 

2021 summary data 12 

VII. Summary of Activities and Projected Next Steps 13 

Notable past developments/activities 13 

Notable new developments/activities 14 

Upcoming activities 15 

VIII. Attachments 16 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I. Purpose 

Pursuant to the Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act of 2015, Pub. L. No. 114-12 (Blue 

Alert Act or Act), the United States Department of Justice (DOJ or Department) provides this annual 

report to Congress. 

II. Background 

The Blue Alert Act was enacted to “establish a national Blue Alert communications network within the 

Department of Justice to issue Blue Alerts through the initiation, facilitation, and promotion of Blue 

Alert plans, in coordination with States, units of local government, law enforcement agencies, and other 

appropriate entities.” (34 U.S.C. § 50502).1 Named for two fallen New York City Police Department 

(NYPD) officers who were ambushed, the Act is intended to facilitate rapid dissemination of information 

to law enforcement agencies, the media, and the public that will aid in (1) apprehending violent 

criminals who have killed or seriously injured a law enforcement officer in the line of duty; (2) finding an 

officer when he or she is missing in connection with his or her official duties; or (3) sharing notice of an 

imminent and credible threat that an individual intends to cause the serious injury or death of a law 

enforcement officer. 

Officer safety and wellness remains a top priority for the Department. The Department is committed to 

implementing the Blue Alert Act to protect the lives of the men and women who bravely serve in law 

enforcement. The nature of police work is uniquely dangerous, and the Department continues its strong 

support of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement as they advance public safety. 

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), because of its extensive previous 

work on officer safety and wellness issues, was tasked by the Department with overseeing 

implementation of the Blue Alert Act and creating the National Blue Alert Network. 

1 While the legislation does not specifically mention Tribes, in its implementation of the Act the COPS Office is working 

with tribal law enforcement as well. 

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III. Coordinator Duties/Activities 

The Blue Alert Act requires an annual report to Congress on the activities of the National Blue Alert 

Coordinator and the effectiveness and status of Blue Alert plans that are in effect or being developed. 

The COPS Office has dedicated significant time and effort to implement the Blue Alert Act and reports 

the following activities: 

Designation of National Coordinator and Deputy National Coordinator 

The Blue Alert Act requires the Attorney General to assign an existing officer of the Department to act as 

the national coordinator of the Blue Alert communications network—to serve as the nationwide point of 

contact for the development of a network and regional coordination of Blue Alerts through the network 

(34 U.S.C. § 50503(a)). 

As noted in previous Reports to Congress, the Attorney General designated the Director of the COPS 

Office as the National Blue Alert Coordinator (Coordinator). For this reporting period, the COPS Office 

Director was Acting Director Robert Chapman. Acting Director Chapman is a long-standing member of 

the COPS Office and serves as a Deputy Director. The COPS Office Blue Alert team continued to meet 

regularly to discuss implementation strategies, timelines, and deliverables. Select members of the team 

have been trained to provide technical assistance to states and local and tribal law enforcement 

agencies seeking to establish Blue Alert plans or enhance an existing Blue Alert plan. 

Establishment of Advisory Group and quarterly meetings 

Pursuant to the Blue Alert Act, the Coordinator is required to establish an Advisory Group to assist 

states, local governments, and other involved entities with initiating, facilitating, and promoting Blue 

Alert plans (34 U.S.C. § 50503(b)(5)). The Act requires the group to have geographically diverse 

representation and include the following representatives: 

• A law enforcement organization representing rank-and-file officers 

• Other law enforcement agencies and public safety communications 

• Broadcasters, first responders, dispatchers, and radio station personnel 

• Other individuals and organizations the Coordinator determines are necessary for the success of 

the network 

As previously reported, the Coordinator established an Advisory Group that satisfies each of the 

statutory requirements. Today, there are fourteen members representing the following organizations: 

• Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) 

• National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) 

• Blue Alert Foundation, Inc. 

• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) 

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• National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) 

• National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) 

• Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) 

• National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) 

• National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) 

• Concerns of Police Survivors 

• Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) 

• Indian Country Intelligence Network (ICIN) 

The Advisory Group meets on a regular basis. To date, Advisory Group members have provided valuable 

individual feedback to the COPS Office on our guidance and recommendations to states and local 

governments in developing or enhancing their Blue Alert plans. The COPS Office will add additional 

Advisory Group members or amend the frequency of meetings, as appropriate, consistent with the 

discretion granted to the Coordinator by the Blue Alert Act. 

Development of voluntary guidelines and protocols 

The Blue Alert Act requires the Coordinator to establish voluntary guidelines for states and local 

governments to use in developing Blue Alert plans. The guidelines must include a list of resources 

necessary to establish Blue Alert plans; criteria and guidelines for issuing Blue Alerts; guidelines to 

protect privacy and civil liberties; and guidelines aligned with the National Crime Information Center 

(NCIC) database operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and any other relevant crime 

information repository (34 U.S.C. § 50503(b)(2)). 

The Department has developed voluntary guidelines that address two complementary components of 

the Blue Alert Act: public alerts and law enforcement sensitive (LES) alerts. Public alerts directed at 

media outlets and affected communities provide suspect or missing officer information that is 

appropriate for public dissemination. LES alerts directed at affected law enforcement agencies provide 

sensitive information that is accessible only to law enforcement personnel. Public and LES alerts are 

often sent concurrently. 

Unlike public Blue Alerts, LES Blue Alerts are limited to situations where an investigating agency needs 

to share information with other state or law enforcement agencies but has elected not to make suspect 

information publicly known. LES alerts are used when the investigating agency believes that making 

suspect information known publicly could jeopardize the criminal investigation or when the 

investigating agency believes that public alerting is not prudent given the facts known at the time. LES 

alerts are also used when there is a known credible threat to law enforcement in a particular jurisdiction 

and the investigating agency wishes to alert other law enforcement personnel in the affected 

jurisdictions or geographical area without making the threat known publicly. 

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To meet its statutory mandate to establish voluntary guidelines, the COPS Office has issued Blue Alert 

Guidelines (https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/blue-alert/blue alert guidelines.pdf) to provide general 

information on when a law enforcement agency should issue Blue Alerts consistent with the statutory 

criteria as set forth in the Blue Alert Act. Blue Alerts may be issued when one of the following sets of 

threshold criteria are met: (1) death or serious injury of a law enforcement officer in the line of duty; (2) 

law enforcement officer missing in connection with official duties; or (3) threat to cause death or serious 

injury to a law enforcement officer. 

To supplement the Blue Alert Guidelines, the COPS Office has also developed Effective Blue Alert Plans: 

Guidance and Recommendations to help states and local agencies through the Blue Alert plan 

development process; enhance and standardize existing state and local Blue Alert plans; and promote 

nationwide compatibility of Blue Alert plans. This comprehensive guidance identifies and addresses 

eight key elements to consider in developing new or updating existing Blue Alert plans: (1) activation 

criteria for alerts; (2) requesting alerts; (3) writing effective alerts; (4) geographic scope of alerts; (5) 

interstate and intrastate coordination of alerts; (6) duration of alerts; (7) officer privacy protection; and 

(8) suspect apprehension efforts. 

The COPS Office has worked closely with partners at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and 

Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to establish the most effective way to deliver 

targeted alerts within the existing alerting infrastructure. We will also continue to work with law 

enforcement stakeholders and Advisory Group members to increase the effectiveness of our guidance. 

Information repositories and delivery of technical assistance 

Since October 2016, the COPS Office has maintained a dedicated webpage on our website at 

https://cops.usdoj.gov/bluealert to promote Blue Alerts and provide educational materials. This 

National Blue Alert Network webpage serves as a center for resources including the following: 

• Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act of 2015 

• Blue Alert map indicating those states and territories with Blue Alert plans 

• Blue Alert Guidelines 

• National Blue Alert Network factsheet 

• Blue Alert Legislation Compendium 

• State Blue Alert Officials Directory (public contact information) 

• Information on how to access our secure controlled-access information-sharing platform and 

who is eligible to use it 

Since January 2017, the COPS Office has provided a secure web-based data repository maintained on 

the FBI Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP) that provides controlled access to states, local 

governments, law enforcement agencies, and other qualified stakeholders as determined by the 

Coordinator. Individuals with existing LEEP or LEO.gov accounts can access the National Blue Alert 

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Network on the JusticeConnect platform at 

https://justiceconnect.cjis.gov/communities/community/blue-alert. The National Blue Alert Network 

provides curated information that may not be appropriate for public dissemination, including the 

following: 

• State Blue Alert Officials Directory (24-hour emergency contact information) 

• National Blue Alert Network PowerPoint Presentation 

• Effective Blue Alert Plans: Guidance and Recommendations 

• Sample Blue Alert Policies 

The COPS Office will continue to enhance the National Blue Alert Network webpage and the 

JusticeConnect Network with updated and new information on a regular basis. 

Notably, the Blue Alert Act prohibits the Coordinator from lobbying any state officer regarding the 

funding or implementation of a Blue Alert plan (34 U.S.C. § 50503(e)(2).The COPS Office does offer free 

informational resources and technical assistance to any state or local agency wishing to establish or 

modify its Blue Alert plans. Upon request by the state or local agency, trained COPS Office Blue Alert 

Team members will review Blue Alert plans and provide feedback to ensure compliance with the 

voluntary guidelines and protocols. 

Engagement with stakeholders 

The COPS Office maintains active partnerships with various stakeholders representing law enforcement 

and emergency communications in order to administer and expand the National Blue Alert Network. 

Stakeholder organizations play a key role in ensuring that the COPS Office is aware of relevant issues 

affecting officer safety and alerting technologies. The COPS Office will continue to work with 

stakeholders individually and collectively to develop and enhance our national Blue Alert strategy. We 

will also identify additional stakeholders as needed. 

Cooperation with other federal agencies 

The Act requires the Coordinator to cooperate with the FCC, the Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and other DOJ offices as appropriate (34 U.S.C. § 

50503(d)). As previously reported, the COPS Office has established a point of contact with each of the 

identified federal agencies and the FBI. We have since forged strong working relationships with several 

key federal partners, most notably the FCC and FEMA. 

The FCC oversees the national Emergency Alert System (EAS) used to deliver important emergency 

information, such as AMBER alerts and weather information targeted to specific areas. The FCC plays a 

key role in alerting, as it establishes the technical standards, activation procedures, and testing 

protocols. The FCC has sole authority to create the fixed three-letter EAS event codes used to define 

alerts and their corresponding actions by broadcasters, cable system operators, wireless carriers, and 

other parties responsible for alerting the public. On December 14, 2017, the FCC voted unanimously to 

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approve the creation of a special three-letter EAS event code to be used by alerting authorities when 

issuing Blue Alerts: BLU. The new FCC rule constituted a major advancement in alerting capabilities and 

will benefit all 50 states and U.S. territories, including tribal lands. The rule took effect in two phases. 

The use of the BLU event code for alerts issued via television and radio went into effect on January 18, 

2019. The use of BLU for Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) became effective on November 29, 2019. 

In tandem with the FCC's role in alerting, the DHS's FEMA is responsible for maintaining and operating 

the national Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System (IPAWS). In order to ensure that alerting 

capabilities keep up with current and emerging technologies, FEMA partners with various stakeholders 

from the public and private sectors representing broadcasting, mobile device manufacturers, and other 

interested industries. 

States and many jurisdictions rely on IPAWS to utilize EAS and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to alert 

the public. IPAWS allows alerting authorities to write their own emergency alerts using commercially 

available software applications approved by FEMA and compliant with common alerting protocols. 

Alerts are authenticated and delivered simultaneously through multiple communication pathways to 

quickly reach the public. 

The COPS Office will continue its ongoing coordination efforts with FEMA to advance the integration of 

Blue Alert Plans into IPAWS. The COPS Office will also continue to seek consultation with, and ongoing 

advice from, our federal partners. We will also identify new federal partners as needed. 

Promotion of the Blue Alert Act 

Notably, the Blue Alert statute prohibits the Coordinator from conducting any official travel or hosting a 

conference for the sole purpose of implementing the Blue Alert Act (34 U.S.C. § 50503(e)(3)). These 

restrictions have not prevented the COPS Office from promoting the Blue Alert Act, and we have 

undertaken a number of measures to raise awareness of the Blue Alert Act. 

Beginning in 2019, and continuing during this reporting period, the National Blue Alert Coordinator set 

forth a 'battle plan' to target states that had not yet adopted Blue Alert plans or systems. COPS Office 

staff partnered with U.S. Attorneys' Offices in the affected states to identify select groups of law 

enforcement stakeholders who could assist with information sharing regarding the benefits of Blue 

Alerts and the resources of the National Blue Alert Network. The results led to the creation of working 

coalitions of concerned stakeholders in the targeted states. Many of these coalitions have gone on to 

promote Blue Alert legislation and other actions leading to the adoption of Blue Alert plans or systems. 

The Department has also promoted awareness of the Blue Alert Act at various national law enforcement 

conferences, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Major Cities Chiefs 

Association, and the National Sheriffs’ Association. These conferences provide outreach to tens of 

thousands of law enforcement officers and agencies. The Department has also responded to multiple 

requests from various state law enforcement agencies for additional information, technical assistance, 

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and resources, offering stakeholders a roadmap for establishing Blue Alert plans and examples of 

existing Blue Alert legislation. The following four states engaged in Blue Alert legislative activity during 

this reporting period: Arkansas, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and New York, 

Coordination with United States Attorneys' Offices 

The COPS Office continues to expand its partnerships with U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the nation 

to promote the National Blue Alert Network. COPS Office staff share information with Law Enforcement 

Coordinators (LECs) about issues affecting officer safety and Blue Alert related news. The Executive 

Office for United States Attorneys has been instrumental in facilitating coordination between The COPS 

Office and LECs. 

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IV. Blue Alerts Issued 

There are twelve known instances where Blue Alerts were issued during this reporting period. 

Alabama: 

November 2021 - Sumter, AL: A trooper assigned to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Highway 

Patrol Division was investigating a traffic violation. While in the process of attempting to arrest a suspect 

for six warrants, the suspect attempted to murder the trooper and fled the scene. A statewide Blue Alert 

was issued by the Alabama Fusion Center at the request of the State Bureau of Investigation. The next 

day, the suspect was arrested in Sumter County without incident. The trooper required hospital care for 

his injuries, but fortunately, survived the attack. 

February 2022 - Opelika, AL: A man hit a police officer with his vehicle as the officer was responding to a 

call for service. The suspect fled the scene. Authorities issued a Blue Alert for the suspect. The officer 

suffered several non–life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover. The suspect was taken into 

custody on February 13, 2022, during a traffic stop. 

April 2022 - Lauderdale, AL: A statewide Blue Alert was issued after a Lauderdale County, Alabama 

corrections officer went missing during a transport of a capital murder suspect. A Lauderdale County 

Sheriff’s Office employee left the detention center with the inmate for a mental evaluation at the 

courthouse. The sheriff later confirmed there was no mental evaluation scheduled. The Blue Alert was 

recalled when it was determined that the officer was an accomplice, and on May 2, a warrant was issued 

for the corrections officer for facilitating an escape in the first degree. After nearly a two-week saga, 

both the inmate and the Sheriff’s Office corrections officer were taken into custody. The officer suffered 

a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was taken to the hospital, and later died. 

Florida: 

September 2021 - Nassau County, FL: A sheriff’s deputy was shot twice during a traffic stop. The suspect 

fled the area and a large manhunt ensued. Authorities issued a Blue Alert. The suspect was located and 

arrested a few days later near Callahan, FL. Unfortunately, the sheriff’s deputy died shortly after the 

attack. 

June 2021- Daytona Beach, FL: A Daytona Beach police officer was shot in the head while investigating a 

suspicious vehicle. The suspect fled the area and a large manhunt ensued. Authorities issued a Blue 

Alert. The suspect was eventually located and arrested near Atlanta, GA. The officer, unfortunately, died 

days later as a result of his injuries. 

February 2022 - Perry, FL: A Taylor County deputy was fighting for his life after being shot by a suspect 

sought by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The suspect allegedly shot the Taylor 

County deputy multiple times during a routine traffic stop. The FDLE issued a Blue Alert as law 

enforcement agencies searched for the suspect. The suspect was killed during a failed home invasion as 

he tried to evade capture. The Taylor County deputy was hospitalized in stable condition. 

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Georgia: 

October 2021 - Alamo, GA: An Alamo police officer attempted to arrest a man who shoved the officer 

following a traffic violation. After he failed to comply, the officer discharged his taser. The man was 

arrested and taken to the Wheeler County Jail. Police believe the officer was then shot and killed later 

that night outside the Alamo Police Department in retaliation for the man’s arrest. A Blue Alert was 

issued for the suspected perpetrator of the shooting and a known associate of the man who was 

previously arrested by the officer. The suspect was located the next day and taken into custody. 

November 2021 - Clayton County, GA: Henry County Police responded to a domestic dispute. Shortly 

after arriving, an officer attempted to arrest a suspect when the officer was shot. The suspect fled the 

scene. A warrant for the suspect’s arrest was issued on Aggravated Assault charges. The GBI issued a 

Blue Alert for the suspect. Unfortunately, the officer died of his injuries. The Blue Alert was cancelled 

five days later, after the suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a standoff with 

Clayton County Police SWAT. 

January 2022 - Thomas County, GA: A man shot two Thomas County Sheriff’s Office deputies. The 

suspect fled the scene. The GBI issued a Blue Alert for the suspect. After a six-day manhunt, the suspect 

was taken into custody by the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office. Fortunately, both deputies’ injuries were 

non–life-threatening injuries. 

Ohio: 

October 2021 - Hancock County, OH: An Ohio state trooper was shot on I-75. The suspect fled the area. 

The Ohio State Highway Patrol issued a statewide Blue Alert. The suspect was located and arrested after 

a 12-hour manhunt. Fortunately, the trooper’s injuries were not life-threatening. 

Oklahoma: 

January 2022 - Comanche County, OK: A Lawton police officer was conducting a traffic stop on I-44 when 

the vehicle, with its three occupants, fled the scene. The officer in pursuit and the occupants of the 

vehicle exchanged gunfire. The suspects reached Lake Ellsworth in Caddo County, where they attempted 

to flee the vehicle. One suspect was captured at Lake Ellsworth while the two other suspects fled on 

foot. Authorities issued a Blue Alert and were able to cancel the Alert in less than an hour, when the 

suspects were located and taken into custody. The two suspects stole an SUV but were quickly 

apprehended by Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The Lawton Police officer required medical attention but 

fortunately survived. 

Texas: 

June 2021- Wise County, TX: Wise County Deputies and Rhome, TX Police made a traffic stop of a 

motorcycle with two riders. One of the riders matched the description of a man wanted for a home 

invasion. The suspect fired several shots, striking a Rhome Police officer in the leg. The suspect fled and 

authorities later issued a Blue Alert. The suspect was located a few days later in Arkansas and taken into 

custody. The officer survived his injuries. 

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V. Effectiveness and Status of Blue Alert Plans 

In addition to reporting on the activities of the Coordinator, the Blue Alert Act also requires the annual 

report to Congress to include the effectiveness and status of Blue Alert plans (34 U.S.C. § 50503(f)). The 

effectiveness of existing Blue Alert plans is difficult to gauge, partly because each state develops and 

administers its own plan individually. The COPS Office is not yet aware that any of the states with Blue 

Alert plans have conducted research into their effectiveness. The COPS Office has begun collecting data 

as it becomes available in order to evaluate the effectiveness of Blue Alert plans. 

As previously reported, the COPS Office has made direct outreach calls to each of the 56 states and 

territories. This includes 37 states that operate Blue Alert systems as well as those 19 states and 

territories that currently do not have Blue Alert systems. 

As previously reported, the COPS Office has also verified which states have Blue Alert plans and the 

extent to which the plans comport with the voluntary guidelines. We have secured copies of Blue Alert 

plans and related materials such as program overviews, activation plans, legislation, and brochures from 

states that currently have Blue Alert plans. 

To facilitate analysis of existing Blue Alert plans, the COPS Office has a legislation compendium 

containing the specific public laws, statutes, or executive orders that authorized and created state Blue 

Alert systems. The following are highlights of the threshold activation criteria from those states. These 

highlights illustrate clear and significant differences between states that could limit or complicate 

coordination efforts when a suspect flees, or is thought to have fled, to another jurisdiction: 

• 62 percent (23 states) of plans contain provisions for officers missing in the line of duty 

• 16 percent (6 states) of states allow for activation in cases where an officer is threatened with a 

deadly weapon but not actually injured 

• 70 percent (26 states) require sufficient descriptive information about a suspect to enlist the 

public's assistance 

• 57 percent (21 states) require a suspect vehicle description or license tag for activation 

The following table is a quick reference of threshold activation criteria for the featured states as of May 

2022. The wide range of Blue Alert activation criteria among states highlights the need for uniform 

guidance and consistent protocols to enhance coordination and maximize interoperability from one 

state to another. 

The COPS Office continues to examine and document the differences and commonalities between 

existing Blue Alert processes. Our legislative compendium includes policies, forms, brochures, and 

promotional material from Blue Alert states that will be useful to states and law enforcement agencies 

in developing or improving their own Blue Alert systems. 

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Table 1. Blue Alert activation criteria by state 

OFFICER STATUS 

Killed ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Attempted killing ●

Serious bodily Injury ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Life-threatening 

injury ● ●

Assaulted with 

deadly weapon ● ● ● ● ● ●

Injured ●

Missing ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Concerning 

circumstances ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Last location known ● ● ● ● ●

SUSPECT 

Poses serious threat 

to public ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Imminent threat to 

public or LE ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Sufficient desc. to 

enlist public ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Vehicle description 

or tag ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

OTHER 

Alert may avert 

further harm ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 

Alert may hasten 

apprehension ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 

*Blue Alert adopted through executive action - no legislation available to include in compendium 

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VI. Officers Shot in the Line of Duty 

In 2019, the COPS office awarded a grant to the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) to monitor and track shootings 

of law enforcement officers in the United States and its territories—specifically, shootings in which on-duty 

officers are wounded or killed. The FOP uses media monitoring software and general research to analyze 

publicly available information. Based on this data, the Department, in partnership with the FOP, issue a Report 

on Officers Shot, which documents all known shooting incidents in a calendar year, in order to better 

understand the nature and frequency of incidents that could give rise to the issuance of a Blue Alert. The 2021 

Report contains data on law enforcement officers shot in the line of duty, both fatally and non-fatally. These 

types of felonious attacks account for nearly all situations where a Blue Alert would be issued. Tracking data 

does not include assaults by means other than firearms, due to inconsistent availability of data. 

The COPS Office acknowledges the significant contributions and leadership of the FOP's staff, including National 

President Patrick Yoes, Executive Director Jim Pasco, Senior Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson, and Legislative 

Liaisons Mark McDonald and Matt Brown to this Report. 

Highlights of the 2021 Report include the following: 

2021 summary data 

• Three hundred forty-six law enforcement officers were shot in the line of duty during calendar year 2021 in 

271 separate shooting incidents, including 54 incidents where multiple officers were shot. This is a 10 

percent increase over the total number of incidents in 2020. The number of officers shot increased by 11 

percent compared to 2020. 

• Sixty-four law enforcement officers died from these shootings in 2021 and 287 officers survived. Of the 64 

officers who died, five officers were shot during an incident that took place prior to 2021 but succumbed to 

complications of a gunshot wound in 2021. 

• City or municipal law enforcement officers accounted for nearly two-thirds (60 percent) of all shooting 

incidents in 2021. 

• Disturbance calls (61) and traffic stops (38) accounted for 36 percent of all shooting incidents and resulted in 

126 officers shot. 

• One hundred and thirty-three law enforcement officers were shot in 107 separate ambushes and 32 of 

those officers died. 

• At least 37 officers were protected from gunshots by a protective ballistic vest. 

• Shootings occurred in 42 states and Puerto Rico. Texas had the highest number of officers shot at 43, 

followed by Illinois at 29. 

• The month that saw the highest number of officers shot was October (32) and the day of the week with the 

highest number of officers shot was Friday (46). 

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VII. Summary of Activities and Projected Next Steps 

Notable past developments/activities 

The Department reported the following developments and activities in its previous reports to Congress: 

• Developed a wide variety of Blue Alert informational resources, including 

o National Blue Alert Network factsheet and PowerPoint presentation; 

o Compendium of state Blue Alert legislation and policies; 

o Directory of state Blue Alert officials; 

o Guidance and recommendations on developing or enhancing Blue Alert plans. 

• Launched the National Blue Alert Network SIG on the FBI LEEP platform. 

• Conducted periodic Advisory Group meetings. 

• Coordinated with FCC to create a dedicated Blue Alert EAS event code. 

• Identified all 56 state and territorial IPAWS authorizing officials. 

• Coordinated with FEMA to integrate Blue Alert plans into IPAWS. 

• Visited the FEMA IPAWS lab and trained on alerting equipment and software, including conducting test 

Blue Alerts. 

• Trained selected COPS Office Blue Alert Team members to provide technical assistance to states and 

local agencies. 

• Performed immediate outreach to states after officers were killed to offer assistance and facilitate 

interstate coordination. 

• Promoted awareness of the Blue Alert Act at various national law enforcement events, including the 

annual IACP conference and the National Officer Safety and Wellness Group forum. 

• New FCC rules authorizing the use of "BLU," the Blue Alert EAS event code, went into effect on January 

18, 2019. The same FCC rule authorized the issuance of Blue Alerts via Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) 

beginning on November 29, 2019. Together, these rules enable alerting authorities throughout the 

nation to quickly issue Blue Alerts using existing alerting software and systems. 

• Members of the COPS Office Blue Alert team and colleagues from the FCC were awarded the 

Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety 

for their outstanding leadership in implementing Blue Alert plans throughout the United States. 

• Members of the COPS Office Blue Alert team monitored media reports and other sources to identify 

possible Blue Alert situations. When practical, team members contacted the affected law enforcement 

agency to verify facts and offer assistance if needed. 

• The COPS Office launched a targeted outreach plan to establish working coalitions in each state without 

Blue Alert laws and policies. The purpose of the outreach was to inform key stakeholders about the 

13 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

benefits of Blue Alerts and about the resources of the National Blue Alert Network. All efforts were 

coordinated with U.S. Attorneys' Offices in the affected states and districts. 

• The National Blue Alert Coordinator represented the COPS Office at dozens of conferences and 

meetings around the country where he promoted the use of Blue Alerts and available resources. 

• The Deputy National Blue Alert Coordinator traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, at the request of the Iowa 

Peace Officers Association to attend a meeting; while there, he was asked to provide information and 

answer questions from state officials who were considering the adoption of a statewide Blue Alert plan. 

• The Deputy National Blue Alert Coordinator presented information about Blue Alerts at the annual 

training conference for DOJ Law Enforcement Coordinators (LEC) in Columbia, South Carolina. LECs play 

a key role in U.S. Attorneys' Offices through their support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement 

agencies in their districts. 

• The COPS Office published a report describing incidents where law enforcement officers were shot in 

the line of duty during calendar years 2018 and 2019. These reports were the first of their kind and 

provided meaningful insights into incidents that could give rise to the issuance of Blue Alerts. 

Notable new developments/activities 

The Department reports the following new developments and activities in the reporting period: 

• Members of the COPS Office Blue Alert team monitored media reports and other sources to identify 

possible Blue Alert situations. When practical, team members contacted the affected law enforcement 

agency to verify facts and offer assistance if needed. 

• In 2019, the COPS Office awarded a $100,000 Community Policing Development grant to the Fraternal 

Order of Police (FOP) for data collection activities to help identify and document incidents where onduty law enforcement officers are shot in the line of duty. In 2022, additional grant funding was 

awarded to extend the grant for one year. The FOP has a long history of research and involvement in the 

study of attacks on law enforcement. 

Throughout the reporting period, the FOP reported the status of its activities to the COPS Office and to 

the National Blue Alert Advisory Group. In May 2022, the FOP and the COPS Office are publishing a 

report on incidents where law enforcement officers were shot in the line of duty during calendar year 

2021. 

• The National Blue Alert Coordinator attended dozens of virtual conferences and meetings around the 

country and, where appropriate, promoted the use of Blue Alerts and resources offered by the COPS 

Office. Travel has been restricted due to the COVID pandemic but is expected to resume in the near 

future. 

• The COPS Office created and framed certificates to present to states that have enacted statewide Blue 

Alert plans for the benefit of all law enforcement agencies within the state. The presentations of these 

Blue Alert Certificates have been placed on hold due to COVID restrictions. 

• The COPS Office conducted a nationwide outreach to solicit active, sworn law enforcement officers and 

deputies to serve a one-year detail as Law Enforcement Fellows to advance the National Blue Alert 

14 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Network and assist with other COPS Office resources. Following a rigorous, competitive process, the 

COPS Office selected three fellows: a patrol officer from Pennsylvania, a detective from Colorado, and 

an undersheriff from Washington. The fellows begin their one-year details in April 2021. During their 

Fellowships, each of the Fellows contributed greatly to advancing the National Blue Alert Network. 

Upcoming activities 

The Department plans to undertake the following activities in the coming year in furtherance of its Blue Alert 

Mission: 

• Conduct additional outreach to states and territories to raise awareness about the availability of free 

educational resources and technical assistance. 

• Continue to work with the FCC, FEMA, and other federal partners to ensure effective coordination of 

Blue Alert rules and infrastructure. 

• Continue to work with law enforcement stakeholders and Advisory Group members to increase the 

effectiveness of Blue Alert guidance and recommendations. 

• Continue to promote the Blue Alert Network to thousands of officers and agencies at upcoming law 

enforcement events. 

• Identify fiscal needs for further implementation of the Blue Alert Act and make appropriate funding 

requests. 

• Continue with COPS Office Blue Alert Team meetings. 

• Incorporate the expertise gained from the COPS Office’s Law Enforcement Fellows to advance the 

National Blue Alert Network. 

• Continue with periodic Blue Alert Act Advisory Group meetings. 

15 
 

 

 

 

VIII. Attachments 

• State map of Blue Alert plans (May 2022) 

• Blue Alert web page screen image 

• DOJ Blue Alert Certificate sample 

• Blue Alert Fact Sheet (May 2022) 

• 2021 Report, Officers Shot in the Line of Duty 

Map of state Blue Alert Plans (May 2022) 

16 
 

Blue Alert webpage screen image 

17 
 

 

 

DOJ Blue Alert certificate sample 

18 
U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 

 Fact Sheet www.cops.usdoj.gov

National Blue Alert Network 

History 

In 2015, Congress passed the Rafael Ramos and 

Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act, named in 

honor of two New York City police officers killed in 

an ambush attack on December 20, 2014. The Act 

establishes a voluntary nationwide system to give police 

an early warning of threats against police officers and 

to aid in the apprehension of suspects who have killed 

or seriously injured an officer. In 2016, the COPS 

Office was asked to implement the Blue Alert Act and 

establish a National Blue Alert Network. 

Blue Alerts 

Blue Alerts provide for rapid dissemination of 

information to law enforcement agencies, media, 

and the public about violent offenders who have 

killed, seriously injured, or pose an imminent and 

credible threat to law enforcement. Blue Alerts can 

be transmitted via wireless devices and through the 

Emergency Alert System (EAS). The National Blue Alert 

Network works to encourage, enhance, and integrate 

Blue Alert plans throughout the United States. 

Blue Alert Activation Criteria 

Blue Alerts may be issued when 

• a law enforcement officer is killed or seriously injured in 

the line of duty; or

• an officer is missing in connection with official duties; or

• there is an imminent and credible threat to kill or 

seriously injure a law enforcement officer; and

• there is actionable information known about a suspect 

(e.g., name, physical description, or vehicle description). 

Photo: 101cats/iStock 

Blue Alert Resources 

The COPS Office provides resources and technical 

assistance to states, law enforcement agencies, and 

other stakeholders seeking to establish or enhance 

an existing Blue Alert plan. The National Blue Alert 

Network also maintains a secure data repository, for 

law enforcement only, containing many Blue Alert 

resources collected from around the nation, including 

examples of legislation, policies, forms, and a directory 

of state Blue Alert officials. 

For more information, visit the COPS Office website 

at www.cops.usdoj.gov/bluealert, email the COPS 

Office at BlueAlert@usdoj.gov, or call the COPS Office 

Response Center at 800-421-6770. 

Other Resources 

Federal Emergency Management Agency Integrated Public 

Alerting and Warning System (IPAWS) 

https://www.fema.gov/integrated-public-alert-warning-system 

Federal Communications Commission Emergency Alert 

System (EAS) 

https://www.fcc.gov/general/emergency-alert-system-eas 

May 2022
 

 

 

 

Law Enforcement Officers 

Shot in the Line of Duty 

2021 Year-End Summary 

May 2022 
 

 

 

 

 

 

This report is compiled from publicly available information using media 

monitoring software and general research. It contains data on law enforcement 

officers shot in the line of duty, both fatally and non-fatally, for the express 

purpose of better understanding the nature and frequency of incidents that could 

give rise to the issuance of a Blue Alert. Care should be taken into account when 

comparing these results to those of other entities that collect similar data. The 

opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) or contributor(s) and do not 

necessarily represent the official position of the U.S. Department of Justice. 

The COPS Office acknowledges the contributions of the FOP's staff, including 

National President Patrick Yoes, Executive Director Jim Pasco, Senior 

Legislative Liaison Tim Richardson and Legislative Liaisons Mark McDonald 

and Matt Brown, to this report. 

Recommended citation: 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. 2022. Law Enforcement 

Officers Shot in the Line of Duty: 2021 Year-End Summary. Washington, DC: 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. 

Published 2022 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2021 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

NATIONAL BLUE ALERT NETWORK 

In 2015, Congress passed the Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act, named in honor of two New 

York City police officers killed in an ambush attack on December 20, 2014. The Act directs the Department of 

Justice to establish a voluntary nationwide system to promote the use of early warnings of threats against law 

enforcement officers and to aid in the apprehension of suspects who have killed or seriously injured an officer. 

In 2016, the COPS Office was given the honor of implementing the Act and established the National Blue Alert 

Network. 

The National Blue Alert Network seeks to encourage, enhance, and integrate Blue Alert plans throughout the 

United States. Blue Alerts provide for rapid dissemination of information to law enforcement agencies, media, 

and the public to aid in the apprehension of offenders who have killed, seriously injured, or pose an imminent 

and credible threat to law enforcement. Blue Alerts can be transmitted via wireless devices and through the 

Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the same manner as AMBER Alerts. 

TRACKING OFFICER SHOOTINGS 

This report was compiled by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) in partnership with the 

National Fraternal Order of Police using media monitoring software and general research to analyze publicly 

available information. It contains data on law enforcement officers shot in the line of duty, both fatally and nonfatally, for the express purpose of better understanding the nature and frequency of incidents that could give 

rise to the issuance of a Blue Alert. Care should be taken into account when comparing these results to those of 

other entities that collect similar data. The opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) or contributor(s) 

and do not necessarily represent the official position of the U.S. Department of Justice. 

2021 SUMMARY DATA

• Three hundred forty-six law enforcement officers were shot in the line of duty during calendar year 2021 in 

271 separate shooting incidents, including 54 incidents where multiple officers were shot. 

• Sixty-four law enforcement officers died from these shootings in 2021 and 287 officers survived. Of the 64 

officers who died, five officers were shot during an incident that took place prior to 2021, but succumbed to 

complications of a gunshot wound in 2021.1 

• City or municipal law enforcement officers accounted for nearly two-thirds (60 percent) of all shooting 

incidents in 2021. 

• Disturbance calls (61) and traffic stops (38) accounted for 36 percent of all shooting incidents and resulted in 

126 officers shot. 

• One hundred and thirty-three law enforcement officers were shot in 107 separate ambushes and 32 of 

those officers died. 

• At least 37 officers were protected from gunshots by a protective ballistic vest. 

• Shootings occurred in 42 states and Puerto Rico. Texas had the highest number of officers shot at 43, 

followed by Illinois at 29. 

• The month that saw the highest number of officers shot was October (32) and the day of the week with the 

highest number of officers shot was Friday (46). 

1 When these incidents are included in the data, they are noted with the use of (*). 
2021 INCIDENT DATA 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2021 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY

There were 271 incidents in 2021 where law enforcement officers were shot in the line of duty, which is a 10

percent increase over the total number of incidents in 2020. The number of officers shot increased by 11 

percent compared to 2020. The number of officers who died as a result of being shot increased by 36 percent 

from 2020. NOTE: One (*) represents an officer who was shot prior to 2021 but succumbed to a gunshot wound 

in 2021. 

2021 Totals 2020 Totals % Change 

Total number of shooting incidents 271 246 + 10%

Total number of officers shot 346 312 + 11%

Number of officers shot and survived 287 268 + 7.0%

Number of officers shot and killed 64***** 47*** + 36%

INCIDENT DATA BY CIRCUMSTANCE 

Disturbance calls and traffic stops accounted for more than a third (36 percent) of all shooting incidents. The 

third most common circumstance involved calls regarding a shooting that had occurred (10 percent). 

Circumstance at Time of Incident 

One (*) equals one officer who was shot prior to 2021 but succumbed to a 

gunshot wound in 2021. Disturbance call 61 

Other 57 

Traffic stop 38 

Shooting / Shots fired 26 

Warrant service 24 

Other felony 24 

Suspicious person 18 

Robbery 12 

Theft Investigation 6 

Active shooter event 4 

Prisoner transport 1 

Circumstance Shooting 

incidents 

Officers 

shot 

Number 

survived 

Number 

killed 

Active shooter 4 4 3 1 

Disturbance call 61 84 69 15* 

Prisoner transport 1 1 1 0 

Robbery 12 14 14 0 

Shooting / Shots fired 26 38 35 4* 

Other felony 24 28 22 6 

Suspicious person 18 21 18 4* 

Traffic stop 38 42 34 8 

Warrant Service 24 38 34 5* 

Theft Investigation 6 7 7 0 

Other 57 69 50 21* 

271 346 287 64***** 

Incident Circumstance (high-low) 

NATURE OF ATTACKS 

Every felonious attack on law enforcement officers, especially by gunfire, is disturbing regardless of the 

circumstances. Officers are always vulnerable to life-threatening attacks and therefore must always be vigilant 

and maintain the highest level of situational awareness. In most cases, officers are able to quickly assess 

situations, recognize threats, and take adequate defensive actions. Tragically, not every threat can be seen or 

mitigated. Perhaps most troubling and worrisome are ambush-style and other calculated attacks on law 

enforcement. 

Premeditated ambush-style attacks are particularly disturbing and pernicious. These types of attacks are carried 

out with an element of surprise and intended to deprive officers of the ability to defend against the attack. 

Premeditated attacks contribute to a worrisome desensitization to evil acts that were once largely considered 

taboo except by the most depraved. In 2021, 40 percent of shooting incidents involved a discernable element of 

premeditation. 
 

AMBUSH-STYLE ATTACKS 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2021 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

There were 107 ambush-style incidents where officers were shot without any warning or opportunity to defend 

themselves, including several pre-planned assassinations. In many cases, officers were shot before they could 

exit their vehicles after an initial traffic stop or upon arrival at the scene of an incident. In all, 133 law 

enforcement officers were shot in ambush-style attacks, of whom 32 died. Of the total number of officers who 

were ambushed, 24 percent died of their injuries, compared to 15 percent of officers shot under other 

circumstances, making ambush-style attacks more lethal to targeted officers. 

Examples of ambush-style attacks include the following: 

• Deputies responding to a 911 call arrived on the scene only to be met with gunfire. A shooter from inside 

the home managed to hit one deputy. 

• An officer responded to a call for service about a theft; when he arrived and exited his vehicle, he was hit 

with a hail of gunfire and struck multiple times. 

• Officers were serving a search warrant when a man inside a home began shooting at the officers after they 

announced themselves. A standoff ensued and gunfire was exchanged over the next few hours, with one 

officer being struck in the vest. 

CALCULATED ATTACKS 

Similar to ambush-style attacks, there were 89 incidents where offenders acted in a calculated and 

premeditated manner to shoot officers in the performance of their duties. These attacks differ only slightly from 

the more brazen ambush-style attacks in that officers may have had some reason to anticipate a threat. In all, 

122 officers were shot in calculated attacks, of whom 21 died. NOTE: An “ambush-style” attack is considered a 

“calculated” attack. 

Examples of calculated attacks include the following: 

• Officers responding to a call for service involving shots being fired arrived to find the suspect barricaded in 

the home. At one point, the suspect began firing at officers, striking one officer in the chest. 

• Following a 911 call to report a domestic abuse incident, the suspect left the apartment and headed into the 

woods with multiple firearms. After the officers arrived at the scene, they entered the woods with a K9 unit 

to search for the suspect, who initiated a shootout resulting in the death of the suspect. 

• Officers were serving a search warrant. The detectives approached the apartment, identified themselves, 

and asked to enter. They waited an extended period of time with no response before forcing entry into the 

apartment. The suspect was lying in wait inside and opened fire as the detectives entered the apartment. 

Two officers were struck, and one of them was killed. 

BULLET-RESISTANT VESTS 

At least 37 officers were protected from gunshots that struck a protective ballistic vest. The actual number may 

be higher, but this element is not consistently apparent from news reporting. 
 

 

43 

2021 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

INCIDENT DATA BY STATE 

State Shooting 

incidents 

Officers 

shot 

Number 

survived 

Number 

killed 

One (*) equals one officer who was shot prior to 2021 but succumbed to a gunshot 

wound in 2021. 

Alabama 11 17 14 3 

Alaska 1 1 1 0 

Arizona 4 6 5 1 

Arkansas 4 4 4 0 

California 20* 23 18 6* 

Colorado 9 10 8 2 

Delaware 1 3 3 0 

Florida 13* 17 12 6* 

Georgia 14 19 14 5 

Idaho 3 3 3 0 

Illinois 21 29 24 5 

Indiana 5 5 4 1 

Iowa 3 3 2 1 

Kansas 3 6 6 0 

Kentucky 5 5 4 1 

Louisiana 7* 6 3 4* 

Maryland 6 8 7 1 

Massachusetts 3 6 6 0 

Michigan 5 6 5 1 

Minnesota 1 1 0 1 

Mississippi 3 3 2 1 

Missouri 10 10 9 1 

Montana 1 1 1 0 

Nebraska 2 2 2 0 

Nevada 1 1 1 0 

New Jersey 5 6 6 0 

New Mexico 3 6 5 1 

New York 8 10 10 0 

North Carolina 10* 13 11 3* 

Ohio 10 13 11 2 

Oklahoma 6 6 6 0 

Oregon 4* 3 3 1* 

Pennsylvania 9 10 9 1 

South Carolina 4 4 4 0 

Tennessee 7 8 7 1 

Texas 29 43 35 8 

Utah 5 7 7 0 

Virginia 7 7 4 3 

Washington 3 3 2 1 

West Virginia 1 1 1 0 

Wisconsin 6 8 8 0 

Puerto Rico 3 3 0 3 

276***** 346 287 64***** 

Texas 

Illinois 29 

23 

19 

17 

17 

13 

13 

California 

Georgia 

Alabama 

Florida 

North Carolina 

Ohio 

10 

Missouri 

8 

Tennessee 

8 

Utah 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

5 

5 

4 

Colorado 

10 

New York 

Pennsylvania 

Maryland 

8 

Wisconsin 

10 

10 

7 

Virginia 7 

Arizona 

Kansas 

Louisiana 

Massachusetts 

Michigan 

New Jersey 

New Mexico 

Oklahoma 

Indiana 

Kentucky 

Arkansas 

South Carolina 4 

Delaware 3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

Idaho 

Iowa 

Mississippi 

Oregon 

Washington 

Puerto Rico 

Nebraska 

Alaska 

Minnesota 

Montana 

Nevada 

West Virginia 

Officers Shot by State 
 

INCIDENT LOCATION DENSITY MAP 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2021 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

Officer shootings were reported in 42 states and Puerto Rico. Texas had the highest number of shooting 

incidents at 29, followed by Illinois at 21. The state with the next highest number of incidents reported was 

California (20). No officer shootings were reported in 8 states (Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, 

North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming) or the District of Columbia. The map below 

depicts shooting incident density across the nation. 

INCIDENT DATA BY AGENCY TYPE

Sixty percent of officers shot were members of city or municipal law enforcement agencies. The data and chart 

below depict incidents based on agency type. NOTE: Some incidents involved multiple types of agencies. 

Incidents by Agency Type 

One (*) equals one officer who was shot prior to 2021 but succumbed to a 

gunshot wound in 2021. 

Agency 

type 

Shooting 

incidents 

Officers 

shot 

Number 

survived 

Number 

killed 

CITY 171** 208 183 27** 

COUNTY 78*** 94 71 26*** 

STATE 24 24 18 6 

FEDERAL 10 15 11 4 

TRIBAL/OTHER 5 5 4 1 

288***** 346 287 64**** 

Officers Shot by Agency Type 

City 

60% 

County 

27% 

State 

7% 

Federal 

4% 
 

INCIDENT DATA BY MONTH 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2021 - LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

The month that saw the highest number of incidents where officers were shot was October (32), followed by 

August (30), and November (27). 

Incident Data by Month 

One (*) equals one officer who was shot prior to 2021 but 

succumbed to a gunshot wound in 2021. 

Month Shooting 

incidents 

Officers 

shot 

Number 

survived 

Number 

killed 

JAN 13 18 14 4 

FEB 18 30 23 7 

MAR 20 21 19 4** 

APR 18 22 20 4* 

MAY 25 37 31 7* 

JUN 19 22 19 3 

JUL 25 35 28 7 

AUG 30 35 31 4 

SEP 18 20 16 4 

OCT 32 40 33 8* 

NOV 27 33 27 6 

DEC 26 33 27 6 

271 346 287 64***** 

OCT 

AUG 

NOV 

DEC 

MAY 

JUL 

MAR 

JUN 

FEB 

APR 

SEP 

JAN 

Incidents by Month 

13 

18 

18 

18 

19 

20 

25 

25 

26 

27 

30 

32 

INCIDENT DATA BY DAY OF WEEK 

The day of the week with the highest number incidents where officers were shot was Friday (46), followed by 

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (44). NOTE: The five officers (5) who were shot prior to 2021 but succumbed 

to a gunshot wound in 2021 were not included in the data below. 

Incident Data by Day of Week 

Day Shooting 

incidents 

Officers 

shot 

Number 

survived 

Number 

killed 

SUN 24 33 31 2 

MON 44 55 41 14 

TUE 44 56 48 8 

WED 44 58 48 10 

THU 33 44 38 6 

FRI 46 50 40 10 

SAT 36 50 41 9 

271 346 287 59 

FRI 

MON 

TUE 

WED 

SAT 

THU 

SUN 

Incidents by Day of Week 

24 

33 

36 

44 

44 

44 

46 
 

 Officer Shot and Wounded (287) Officer Shot and Killed (64) 

 

NATIONAL BLUE ALERT NETWORK 

2021 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 2021 2020 % Change 

Total Number of Shooting Incidents 13 18 20 18 25 19 25 30 18 32 27 26 271 246 + 10% 

Total Number of Officers Shot 18 30 21 22 37 22 35 35 20 40 33 33 346 312 + 11% 

Number of Officers Survived 14 23 19 20 31 19 28 31 16 33 27 27 287 268 + 7.0% 

Number of Officers Killed 4 7 4** 4* 7* 3 7 4 4 8* 6 6 64 44 + 36% 

Each asterisk (*) represents one officer who was shot prior to 2021 but succumbed to a gunshot wound in 2021. 

271 Shooting Incidents / 346 Officers Shot 

* Assaults on law enforcement occurring on-duty during calendar year 2021 with firearms resulting in an officer being wounded or killed. 

Does not include assaults by means other than firearms due to inconsistent availability of data. Markers represent approximate geographic location.