According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the number of U.S. police officers who died in the line of duty is up 43 percent so far this year.
The organization which follows law enforcement, said 2010 could become one of the deadliest years for U.S. police agencies in two decades. So far this year, 87 officers have died in the line of duty including eight from Texas.
Lancaster police officer Craig Shaw was killed in a gun battle and Arlington police officer Craig Story died in a motorcycle accident. Just last year the number of overall officer fatalities had reached the lowest level in five decades.
"We were hoping to see those numbers continue to go down," said Kevin P. Morison, a fund spokesman. "It points to the dangers officers continue to face."
Almost half the deaths came from car and motorcycle crashes and officers being hit outside their vehicles. Five officers who were struck on the road died during a three-week period last month in California, Massachusetts and New Jersey. Of the 31 officers killed by gunfire, six died in "cluster killings" -- three separate shootings that targeted multiple officers.
