More active-duty law enforcement died from COVID-19 last year - for the second year in a row - than any other cause of death, with 2021 being the deadliest year in nearly a century.
There were 458 members of state, local, federal and tribal law enforcement who died in the line of duty in 2021 - a 55 percent spike compared to 295 deaths in 2020, according to a preliminary report by the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum (NLEOMF).
Of those 458, 301 lost their lives due to coronavirus, making it the leading cause of death last year, while at least 182 officers died of the virus in 2020 - an increase of 65 percent in one year.
'This year's statistics demonstrate that America's front-line law enforcement officers continue to battle the deadly effects of the COVID-19 pandemic nationwide,' the report reads.
'Preliminary data shows that some 301 officer fatalities have been identified as caused by COVID this year, and this number appears to increase almost daily.'
Pictured: A graph of total law enforcement fatalities in 2021, with 458 total deaths last year, and average law enforcement fatalities by decade from 1970 to 2021
Pictured: Causes of death for 2021, showing an overwhelming amount COVID-19 deaths when compared to other causes of on-duty death
Meanwhile, firearms were the second-largest cause of death in 2021, with 61 officers killed by firearms, making for a 36 percent increase from 2020.
And 19 of those officers who died due to firearms-relate deaths were killed in 'ambush attacks,' which also saw a significant increase, according to the report.
Traffic-related deaths saw a massive spike last year as well, with 58 officers killed in 2021 from vehicle and motorcycle collisions, making for a 38 percent increase when compared to 2020.
Last year also proved to have the highest total number of active-duty officers who died since 1930.
The report included a map of the United States, showing the 32 states where officers lost their lives from coronavirus, with the highest concentration centered in California, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.
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