(Newswire.net — October 8, 2016) — A combination of better medical care and the introduction of more effective safety equipment like bulletproof vests, have helped saved the lives of police officers who would likely have died previously.
Ordinary citizens can get injured in any number of ways, and may need the services of work4youlaw.com in order to get properly compensated, but if you are working as a cop, you may be exposed to danger on a regular basis, but at least a trend for safer working practices in general, has been seen to have a positive impact on this risky potentially profession.
A history of police deaths
The national Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has been monitoring the total number of police officer deaths from 1900 onwards, so there is a very revealing and long timeline that can be followed to see just how things have improved or declined in terms of deaths recorded.
The biggest spike in police officer fatalities was during the prohibition period, which was clearly an exceptional point in history as well as a violent one it seems, but since reaching a point in the 1970’s where there were almost two police officer fatalities per million citizens, the figure has fallen to well below one death per million residents.
It should be pointed out that it would be wrong to assume that these figures specifically relate to homicides, as these are not separated out on the survey. In fact, it is understood that only a third of recorded work-related police officer deaths have been as a result of murder.
The basic facts are that although being a police officer is clearly a dangerous occupation, the number of fatalities and murders has been on a downward trend for all the decades. If you look at firearms-related death statistics published by the Foundation for Economic Education, it shows that 2015 was officially noted as one of the safest years for police officers in history.
Bureau of Labor statistics show that chauffeurs and taxi drivers are actually twice as likely to be murdered on the job than a cop, so how did we get to a position where a profession that is generally perceived to be dangerous, could have become safer than we envisaged?
Soft body armor has made a difference
Looking at some of the reasons behind the decline in police officer fatalities, there are definite and obvious advantages to wearing soft body armor.
The issue that police authorities have apparently struggled with is a surprising reluctance to take advantage of this potentially life-saving piece of equipment. Although officers are mostly aware of the benefits attached to wearing soft body armor, many are still seemingly reluctant to wear it, citing reasons such as comfort, fit and breathability as issues that deter them from wearing this form of protection. If you want to know more about this body armor for protection and defense, you can read more in this body armor guide from Safe Life Defense.
It has been estimated that in excess of 30% of police officer deaths could have been prevented if body armor had been worn. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has created the Vests Save Lives campaign to raise awareness, and if they can persuade officers to use the vests in greater numbers, the fatality statistics could register further improvement in the future.
A general improvement in health and safety
Although police officer murders rightly grab the headlines, it is also important to remember that the fatality statistics cover death at work in general, so just like any other worker, there are numerous workplace safety issues that can cause death and injury, besides facing a gun.
There is no question that the introduction of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) into law just over four decades ago, has had a significant and positive impact on workplace deaths and injuries figures.
It is revealed by the OSHA that the number of reported incidents has dropped by some 60% in that period of time, although there is no room for any complacency, when you consider that 1.2 workers still die every day on the job, and over 4 million workers suffer a serious work-related injury each year.
Looking at police officer injuries and deaths, these numbers have thankfully been in steady decline for some period of time, and at least the message of adopting safer working practices is having a positive impact, not just for cops, but in workplaces everywhere.
Kenneth A. Wilhelm has helped injury victims and their families receive compensation for their injuries for over 44 years. He is recognized as a top attorney by leading publications yearly and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for his clients.