Good news - Police-officer shooting deaths at lowest level since 1960.

[benEzra]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-07-09-police-deaths_N.htm

Police deaths plummet in first half of '08

WASHINGTON — Police officer deaths plunged to their lowest midyear total in 43 years after an unusually deadly year for law enforcement officers, says a report released today by a national police advocacy group. The review reflects declines in all major categories of officer fatalities, including traffic accidents and shootings, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund found.

Overall deaths declined from 100 to 59 in the first six months of 2007 compared to the same period this year. The number of overall deaths is the lowest since 1965, when 55 officers were killed.

Midyear shooting deaths fell from 38 in 2007 to 21 this year, the lowest number since 1960, when 18 officers were killed by gunfire.

Looks like CHL reform and the expiration of the 1994 Feinstein non-ban didn't cause the sky to fall after all...

The overall trend, from the DOJ:

[AtheistCrusader]

1. Curious...

Does this include officers killed with their own weapons?

[benEzra]

3. Yes, I believe so. The percentage in years past has generally been about 1 in 5...

i.e., for every 5 officer gun deaths, 4 would be by an attacker's weapon and 1 by their own.

[TPaine7]

2. I've read quite a few statements by ignorant police officials

who feared (or pretended to fear) for police safety.

CCW permit holders could shoot officers during routine traffic stops. Indeed they could.

So what?

[tburnsten]

4. Didn't happen when I got stopped

It was a total non-issue, the officer didn't even blink when I gave him my Concealed Firearms Permit and told him I was carrying.

[TPaine7]

5. Such comments typically came from officers in states

that had not embraced concealed carry laws and who had not taken the time to familiarize themselves with reality in states that did embrace it.

I also strongly suspect that they also came from officers who were in total denial of reality and wanted to protect their "special" armed status. I do recall, however, reading a high police official or two admitting that their overwrought fears had been incorrect.

[gorfle]

6. Of course.

It was a total non-issue, the officer didn't even blink when I gave him my Concealed Firearms Permit and told him I was carrying.

If I were a cop I'd be breathing a sigh of relief when I found out I was dealing with a CCW permit holder. Obviously, by the fact that he's got the permit, he's not a nutter and he doesn't have a serious criminal record. Odds are he's more likely to be law-abiding than anyone else he pulls over.

[tburnsten]

7. I still got a ticket

Apparently my girlfriend's car had a suspended registration :mad:

But yeah, he didn't care even a tiny bit. Then again we have had CC since 1986, so I'm sure they've had some time to get used to it.

[spin]

8. Most police officers in Florida support concealed carry...

So I had a similar reaction from the officer who pulled me over for a expired tag. I passed him my driver's license with the concealed permit behind it. He glanced at the permit without any reaction.

I've talked to many police officers in Florida and they have no problem with concealed carry as they know the people who have the carry licenses are honest and responsible citizens and pose no danger. That's far more than they can say for the other people they encounter during their shift.

Realize that the police I've talked to are the street cops. Cops at higher levels play politics and sometimes put their careers first and make foolish statements if it will enhance their chances for advancement.

[AtheistCrusader]

9. I got stopped with a whole carload of guns once

still smelly from the Range. Traffic stop lasted 15 minutes while they identified me, and ran my permit. Apparently they saw me in the parking lot at Fry's, and thought I looked like a suspect from a shoplifting call they had just gotten.

No big deal. The only thing that concerned me was, during the interview, they took my fanny pack (contained a .45 in condition 0) and placed it on the hood of the car. Technically, there was a small possibility it could have slid onto the ground, but it has an internal safety for that sort of bump and shake, so I wasn't too worried.

Everyone went home happy.

[benEzra]

10. That's been my experience.

When I informed an officer one time that I had a NC CHL and had a weapon, he said "thanks for letting me know." And he felt safe turning his back to me after, when he went back to his cruiser to run my wife's license (we didn't come to a "full and complete stop" while house-hunting in what is now our neighborhood; he gave us a warning and let us go).

If I have a NC CHL, it certifies to the officer that I'm so clean I squeak when I walk (passed a FBI background check, state background check, fingerprint check, mental health records check, passed class on self-defense law). It tells them I'm not one of the bad guys, and he knows that as soon as he runs our plates.

[tburnsten]

11. Same for me

Except instead of the class, I am blessed with a DD 214, which my state recognizes as at least equal to. I love it!