ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The state of Illinois is one of the most dangerous states to be a police officer, says the FBI.
According to data compiled by the bureau, Illinois is the third-most dangerous state to be cop. Between 2012 and 2022, there have been a total of 33 officer fatalities, which equated to 355 deaths per 100,000 police officers in 2021.
Of those fatalities, 19 officers died accidentally while 14 were victims of homicide.
The most common fatal accidents in the last decade were traffic related—officers struck while conducting traffic stops or dying from injuries suffered in vehicle crashes. Officers who were victims of homicide were killed during ambushes, domestic violence calls, and active-shooter situations.
Illinois is ranked behind Louisiana and Mississippi. Louisiana logged 47 officer deaths in the last 10 years, (460 per 100,000 officers) while Mississippi had 29, which equates to 645 per 100,000.
Rounding out the Top 10 are New Mexico (4), Indiana (5), Alaska (6), Arkansas (7), South Carolina (8), Ohio (9), and Arizona (10).
There are three states—South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming—that have not had an officer fatality in the last 10 years, the FBI reported.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2022, police officer is 19th on its list of the 31 most dangerous jobs in America.
So far this year, 141 officers have been shot across the country. Twenty-one have died from their wounds.