In my 37 years of law enforcement, I never saw such an explosion of violence against police officers as the country has had over the last several years.
There is clear evidence in the number of officers shot in the line of duty: As of Sept. 4, 272 law enforcement officers were shot in the line of duty throughout the United States, and of those, 34 were killed by gunfire, according to a report from the National Fraternal Order of Police. The number of officers shot is up 25% compared to the same time period in 2020, the report found. In Illinois so far this year, eight police officers were shot in the line of duty. Texas, with 21 officers shot, leads the nation.
Just within the last month, there is no more explicit example of how the system is failing law enforcement than what happened in San Antonio, Texas: Over 12 days, six police officers were shot in six separate incidents. Every one of the offenders arrested was either out on bond, on electronic monitoring, on early release, parole, or probation or was released from bond court on their recognizance. This must stop.
Ambush attacks — 83 have happened so far this year — are especially disturbing; one example is the attack against a Los Angeles County deputy recently.
A December 2017 study by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services examined law enforcement officer fatalities from 2010 through 2016, including ambush attacks. Of the 81 officers killed in ambushes during that period, 15% were just sitting in their patrol car, sometimes on their break, when they were shot. That’s true lawlessness.
The risk of attacks is greater when violent suspects are let out rather than remaining in custody.
Attacks are not ‘part of the job’
Officers are always at risk of life-threatening attacks, and every attack on an officer, especially by gunfire, is disturbing. Some will say, “That’s part of the job,” but that is untrue. Police officers never join the profession so that they can be shot in the line of duty, injured, or killed. Officers know the dangers, but politicians, the court system, and prosecutors must stop making it impossible for law enforcement to carry out their sworn duty.
Where can we start to ensure that police are not being assaulted daily? First, locally and nationally, politicians must stop holding news conferences, issuing press releases, and holding impromptu interviews at crime scenes, calling for “criminal justice reform” — which can too easily equate to no accountability. Many police officers say that, in their experience, violent criminals no longer fear prosecution — being arrested, being held in custody, going to trial or receiving a stiff sentence if convicted.
Second, prosecutors should focus on prosecuting crime. That is their job, not “reform.” Third, the court system must do its job. With the SAFE-T Act here in Illinois, which includes the end of cash bond, the jury’s out on that one. But based on my experience, some parts of the SAFE-T Act — specifically, eliminating cash bond altogether — will not go well (though if I am wrong, I will be the first to admit it).
This is not about Republican, Democrat, Independent, social status, economic status, or even where you live. Crime is crime. It affects all of us. No one should fear leaving home and hearing gunshots, or witnessing or being victimized in a robbery, carjacking, or homicide.
Law enforcement officers sign up to serve the community. They want to be part of the community and share their answers on how to help the community they serve thrive. Residents can help by demanding that those responsible for crime, including assaulting police officers, be held fully accountable.
Tom Weitzel retired from the Riverside Police Department in May 2021 after 37 years in law enforcement, including 13 years as Riverside’s chief of police. Follow him on Twitter @chiefweitzel
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