According to preliminary data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, as of June 30, 2018, 73 federal, state and local law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty this year, increasing seven percent over the 65 officers killed in the same period last year.
Thirty-one officers have been killed in firearms-related fatalities this year, an increase of 24 percent, compared to 25 deaths during the same period last year. Traffic-related fatalities were the second leading cause of officer deaths, with 27 officers killed as of June 30, 2018. This represents a slight increase over the 26 officers killed in traffic-related incidents during the same period last year.