Here in Texas we have a healthy respect for police. We ‘Back the Blue.’ But the Lone Star State has had its share of officers die in the line of duty in 2018.
Texas is tied for third according to preliminary data from the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, with four officer deaths. Two officers were shot and the other two were killed in car accidents. Steve Groeninger with the NLEMF tells KTRH this is a different story than it usually is for Texas.
“Texas often is the leading state when we look at law enforcement fatalities. So to see it not be the number one state is good news for the state of Texas,” Groeninger said.
Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls says even one officer dying in the line of duty is too many.
“You have to be a pretty angry criminal to go and kill a police officer, knowing what is in store for you,” Nehls stated.
As of the end of June 73 federal, state and local law enforcement officers died in the line of duty this year. That's up 7% from last year, when that number was at 68. Thirty-one have been shot, as opposed to 25 at this point last year.