If it seems like there have been a lot of police officer killings in the news lately, it's because there have been. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page thirty-four officers have been killed in the line of duty so far this year. That number is equal to the number killed through the end of April last year, so we are only slightly ahead of where we were to date one year ago. The staggering numbers, however, are the number of officers killed in the last two months. After a slower start to the year (ten this January compared to fifteen in 2008, and seven in February compared to seven in 2008), March and April have been extremely deadly. Twelve officers were killed nationwide in March -up from five in March of 2008, and six have been killed through the first seven days of April. Four were killed in the entire month of April last year.
I have heard pop-sociologists blaming economic conditions for the recent upswing in violence in the US (the AP reports that 57 have been killed in mass shootings in the last month). I have even wondered (along with others who have always wondered this) if news reports about violence in fact perpetuate violence. Whatever the case, my brothers, now is a time to be extra-vigilant. Watch out for each other.
I have heard pop-sociologists blaming economic conditions for the recent upswing in violence in the US (the AP reports that 57 have been killed in mass shootings in the last month). I have even wondered (along with others who have always wondered this) if news reports about violence in fact perpetuate violence. Whatever the case, my brothers, now is a time to be extra-vigilant. Watch out for each other.
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