I want to take this opportunity to say thank you for your commitment to our Fallen Heroes Partnership. Your participation make is possible for us to fill an immediate need to a family in grief.
Last year, the number of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty increased 37% over 2009. In other words, 160 federal, state and local law enforcement officers died in 2010 compared to 117 in 2009. Fifty-nine officers were shot and killed in the past year; a 20% increase over the 48 killed by gunshot in 2009. Already, in 2011, 14 officers have been shot to death. Fortunately, we have been blessed in South Carolina with felonious deaths. We have lost one to a traffic accident.
Since the Fallen Heroes Death Benefit was implemented in 1997, South Carolina has lost 22 deputy sheriffs in the line of duty. Thanks to the gifts of compassionate members such as yourself, we were able to bring a small measure of relief to 22 grieving families.
"You don't have to leave the country to fight a war. We do that here every day"
The South Carolina Sheriffs' Association maintains a Fallen Heroes Fund which provides $10,000 in immediate financial relief to the grieving family of a sheriff or sheriff deputy lost in the line of duty.
You contributions and commitment make this possible!
Who are these officers killed in the line of duty?
Their average age was 38.
Their average years on the job was 12.
47 were male.
1 was female.
42 were white, 3 were black, 2 were American Indian and 1 one Asian.
The South had the highest number of deaths with 21, followed by 13 in the West, 7 in the Northeast and 5 in the mid west.
