On January 3, 1791, Constable Darius Quimby of the Albany County, New York Constable's Office, was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man on a warrant for trespassing. He was the first known law enforcement officer to be killed in the line of duty in the United States.
Since that day, over 20,000 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty. An average of around 170 officers have died in the line of duty each year in the United States over the last 10 years. While many of us in our daily lives would rather not have the police around, we often fail to remember that police officers are always there to protect, to serve, and in over 20,000 (and rising) cases, to offer their lives in service to the public.
We invite you to take some time to visit the following websites below and reflect upon the lives of the men and women wearing badges who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty: