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COVID-19 represents 62% of the 295 deaths related to law enforcement duties reported in 2020 in the National Law Enforcement Officials Memorial Fund database, which tracks law enforcement officials killed in the line of duty. , according to a new study from the University of Buffalo.
The study, published last month in Police: International Journalalso found that COVID-19 accounted for 82% of deaths among black law enforcement officers and 77% of deaths among Latin American officials, well above 48% of deaths among white police officers.
These figures are in line with CDC data, which show that race and ethnicity are risk markers for higher mortality than COVID-19, along with socioeconomic status, access to health care and occupational exposure to the virus.
While the study specifically looks at COVID-19 deaths among law enforcement officials in 2020, there are important lessons for the police and other first response organizations in the future, said Dr. John Violanti, the study’s lead author and professor of epidemiology. and environmental health at the UB School of Public Health and Health Professions.
This is the first study to examine COVID-19 law enforcement deaths at the national level, demonstrating the widespread risk of COVID that employees face in their work.
In addition, says Violanti, COVID has proven to be another source of stress for a professional group that is already facing a number of stressors that affect work and overall health. (Shots, car crashes, and physical stress were among the leading causes of death among law enforcement agencies other than COVID-19.)
“The study’s finding that the majority of law enforcement deaths in 2020 were from COVID-19 reveals the additional danger faced by law enforcement during this pandemic,” added Violanti, a retired staff member. New York and an expert on police stress.
“Law enforcement agencies have been constantly exposed to the disease and have been empowered to help others with prevention and treatment. “The study should encourage police and other organizations to make informed decisions about preparing for any future outbreaks,” he said.
COVID-19 is also the cause of deaths among correctional staff, according to Violanti and co-authors of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prison overcrowding may be one possible explanation for COVID’s deaths among correctional officers, given that inmates are at higher risk than COVID-19 because of their proximity to each other, the researchers wrote. . Another factor is the alarmingly high percentage of police officers who refuse to be vaccinated.
The majority of law enforcement officials who died from COVID-19 were men (94%) over the age of 50 (61.6%) with more than 20 years of service (54%) and residing in the southern states.
In addition, the national mortality rate due to COVID-19 – 12.8 / 100,000 employees – for law enforcement officers is higher than all other causes of death combined, 8.0 / 100,000.
Given the complexity of COVID-19’s personal exposures, researchers point out that the rate of COVID deaths due to debt may in fact be higher or lower.
Although this particular study only looked at law enforcement officials, the results show that others who respond, such as firefighters and EMT teams, may also be disproportionately affected, the researchers said.
“To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends that organizations apply multiple levels of control, including vaccinations, masking, distancing and increased ventilation in situations where the police, first aid and other workers at risk are more likely to be in prolonged close contact with the public, “Violanti said.
The study found that more active police officers died from COVID-19 in 2020 than all other causes combined. More information: John M. Violanti et al, Proportional mortality and national mortality rates from COVID-19 among law enforcement officers authorities in the United States: 2020, Police: International Journal (2022). DOI: 10.1108 / PIJPSM-02-2022-0022 Provided by the University of Buffalo
Citation: Survey: COVID-19 represents 62% of deaths related to law enforcement obligations in 2020 (2022, 6 June), extracted on 6 June 2022 from
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