Law Enforcement Officers Killed Or Assaulted: LEOKA 2017
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1 TENNESSEE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION 901 R.S. Gass Boulevard Nashville, Tennessee 37216-2639 (615) 744-4000 TDD (615) 744-4001 BILL HASLAM MARK GWYN Governor Director April 30, 2018 Ladies and Gentlemen: I would like to present the 2017 Law Enforcement Officers Killed or Assaulted (LEOKA) annual report. This report is published by the TBI presenting information on reported incidents of assaults or deaths of law enforcement officers in the line of duty that occurred in Tennessee. The information contained in the report is based on crime statistics information submitted by law enforcement agencies, colleges and universities in Tennessee to TBI’s Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS) program. TIBRS is the state version of the FBI’s National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) program. The information collected by TBI conforms to the national standard as presented in the FBI’s annual LEOKA report. Please see https://crimeinsight.tbi.tn.gov/ for additional information. I am very proud of the efforts of all participating law enforcement agencies in the state to provide the data necessary to produce this report. Our combined efforts have resulted in a successful program and this annual report providing information on incidents involving assaults and deaths of our law enforcement offiicers. Sincerely, Mark Gwyn Director 2 Law Enforcement Officers Killed or Assaulted 2017 The current report presents analyses of incidents in which Law Enforcement Officers were killed or assaulted in the line of duty in 2017. The information is collected through the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS). Incident based reporting views a crime and all of its components as an “incident”. In order to obtain important information, facts recorded and preserved about the incident are organized into specific categories or segments. The vehicle used for recording these facts is a “data element”. Data elements provide information about crime and its involvement with victims, offenders, property, arrestees, etc. Offenses included for analyses: Murder and Non-negligent Manslaughter – The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. Note: Deaths of Law Enforcement Officers by accidental causes do not meet the FBI’s reporting criteria for a LEOKA offense Aggravated Assault – An unlawful attack by one person upon another wherein the offender uses a weapon or displays it in a threatening manner, or the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury involving apparent broken bones, loss of teeth, possible internal injury, severe laceration or loss of consciousness. Simple Assault – An unlawful physical attack by one person upon another where neither the offender displays a weapon, nor the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury involving apparent broken bones, loss of teeth, possible internal injury, severe laceration or loss of consciousness. Intimidation – To unlawfully place another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words and/or other conduct, but without displaying a weapon or subjecting the victim to actual physical attack. Stalking – To intentionally and repeatedly follow or harass another person in such a manner as would cause that person to be in reasonable fear of being assaulted, suffering bodily injury or death. In 2017, a total of 230 agencies reported Law Enforcement Officers Killed or Assaulted (LEOKA). LEOKA Reporting Agencies 138 Police Departments 80 Sheriffs’ Offices 11 Colleges/Universities 1 State Park 0 Task Forces 0 State Agency 3 2017 LEOKA Quick Facts In 2017, there were a total of 2,137 LEOKA victims reported across the state. The number of reported LEOKA offenses increased by 14.7% from 2016 to 2017. Of the 2,137 LEOKA incidents reported in 2017, 85.6% were cleared by arrest. The most frequently reported offense was Simple Assault at 53.7%. The most common weapon type used by offender was Personal Weapons (Hands, Feet, Teeth, etc.) at 57.4%. The largest percentages of incidents reported occurred on Thursday (17.4%) and Tuesday (15.0%). Most LEOKA incidents occurred between 6:00pm and 11:59pm with Simple Assault being the most reported offense type. The location category of Residence/Home made up 29.7% of all reportable locations in TIBRS. The most frequently reported Vehicle Assignments were One Officer Vehicle-Assisted (40.2%). and One Officer Vehicle-Alone (29.0%). Responding to Disturbance Calls and Attempting Other Arrests were the most common Type of Activity reported by LEOKA victims in 2017. 4 LEOKA Offenses by Year Chart 1 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2014 2015 2016 2017 Murder 0 2 2 0 Aggravated Assault 653 702 740 834 Simple Assault 991 1,017 1,009 1,148 Intimidation 106 88 111 155 Stalking 1 2 1 0 Murder Aggravated Assault Simple Assault Intimidation Stalking The total number of LEOKA offenses increased by 14.7% from 2016 to 2017. Simple Assault offenses increased 13.8%. Zero Murder and Stalking offenses occurred in 2017. All other offenses shown in Chart 1 increased from 2014 to 2017. Clearances LEOKA Incidents by Clearance Type Chart 2 1200 1,033 1000 800 659 600 400 151 200 104 137 24 11 0 18 0 Aggravated Assault Simple Assault Intimidation Cleared by Arrest Exceptional Clearance Not Cleared Incidents can either be cleared by arrest or by exceptional means such as the death of the offender or prosecution being declined. Of the 2,137 LEOKA incidents reported in 2017, 85.6% of them were cleared by arrest, 1.6% were cleared by exceptional means, and 12.8% were not cleared at the time of this report. Simple Assault accounted for the largest offense cleared by Arrest in 2017. 5 LEOKA Victims and Activity Type Each time an officer is assaulted in the line # Activity Type of duty, the type of activity in which the 620 Responding to Disturbance Call officer was engaged at the time of the 405 Attempting Other Arrests assault is reported. Twenty-nine percent of 277 All Other LEOKA victims in 2017 reported an activity 257 Traffic Pursuits and Stops type of Responding to Disturbance Calls. Handling, Transporting, Custody of 227 Prisoners Investigating Suspicious Persons or 202 An additional 19.0% of victims reported an Circumstances Handling Persons with Mental 85 activity type of Attempting Other Arrests. Illness Burglaries in Progress or Pursuing 37 Robberies in Progress or Pursuing Robbery Burglary Suspects Suspects accounted for the least reported 10 Ambush - No Warning Civil Disorder (Riot, Mass Activity Type in 2017. 9 Disobedience, etc.) Robberies in Progress or Pursuing 8 Robbery Suspects LEOKA Offense by Activity Type Chart 3 Investigating Suspicious Persons or Circumstances Traffic Pursuits and Stops All Other Attempting Other Arrests Responding to Disturbance Call 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 Intimidation Simple Assault Aggravated Assault Chart 3 displays the specific offense that was identified with the Top 5 Activity Types. Findings revealed that most Simple Assaults occurred when an officer was “Responding to Disturbance Call” and while “Attempting Other Arrests.” Meanwhile Aggravated Assaults occurred mostly when “Responding to a Disturbance Call” or “Traffic Pursuits and Stops.” 6 Victim Analysis Officer by Gender and Age Chart 4 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65 and over Female Male An analysis of LEOKA Victims by age and gender revealed that 45.0% of victims were aged 25 to 34 years old. Male officers accounted for 90.7% of all victims reported, whereas Female officers accounted for 9.3% in 2017. Officer by Vehicle Assignment Chart 5 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Two-Officer One-Officer One-Officer Detective or Detective or Other (Alone) Other (Assisted) Vehicle Vehicle (Alone) Vehicle (Assisted) Special Special Assignment Assignment (Alone) (Assisted) Per TIBRS, Vehicle Assignment describes if the Law Enforcement Officer was alone or assisted during a LEOKA incident. Additionally , “Other (Alone)” refers to officers assaulted while in other capacities, (i.e. foot patrol), and “Other (Assisted)” refers to law enforcement assistance only. Forty percent of LEOKA victims had a Vehicle Assignment of One-Officer Vehicle (Assisted), whereas 29.0% had a Vehicle Assignment of One-Officer Vehicle (Alone). Further findings revealed that the most frequent offense reported with One-Officer Vehicle (Alone) assignment was Simple Assault 50.4%. 7 LEOKA Locations 669 Residence/Home Findings on Type of Location revealed that 571 Highway/Road/Alley 271 Parking Lot/Garage most offenses occurred in Residence/Home 190 Jail/Prison locations at 29.7% of all reported locations in 117 Government/Public Building 2017. Highway/Road/Alley made up the 70 Hospital 64 School – Elementary/Secondary second highest reported location which 44 Convenience Store constituted 25.3% of all reportable locations 41 Restaurant 33 Department/Discount Store in TIBRS. 29 Hotel/Motel/Etc. 25 Field/Woods 23 Other/Unknown Notably, Simple Assault against an officer 14 Grocery/Supermarket occurred predominately in Residence/Home 13 Bar/Night Club locations. Whereas, Aggravated Assault 7 Park/Playground 6 Doctor's Office against an officer was reported frequently 6 Shopping Mall with the location of Highway/Road/Alley. 5 Arena/Stadium/Fairgrounds/Coliseum 5 Commercial/Office Building 5 Movie Theater Findings on Intimidation revealed that there is 5 Pharmacy 5 School – College/University little variation between Residence/Home and 5 Service/Gas Station Highway/Road/Alley locations in 2017. 4 Air/Bus/Train Terminal 4 Camp/Campground Common LEOKA Locations Chart 6 4 Construction Site 3 Auto Dealership New/Used 400 369 3 Lake/Waterway 350 325 3 Specialty store (TV, Fur, etc.) 268 300 2 Auto Salvage/Junkyard 250 213 2 Bank/Savings and Loan 200 2 Liquor Store 150 1 Amusement Park 100 1 Cemetery 50 29 33 1 Church/Synagogue/Temple 0 Residence/Home Highway/Road/Alley 1 Industrial Site Aggravated Assault Simple Assualt 1 Museum Intimidation 1 Shelter - Mission/Homeless 8 Timing of LEOKA Incidents The time frame of LEOKA incidents is an Day of Week Chart 7 important element to consider while 400 372 examining data.