159 officers died in the line of duty in the U.S this year, and Florida has one of the biggest shares in that number. For police officers in Lakeland, it's a tragic reminder of their own recent loss. For our local officers, it's a clear message that something is wrong.
"As a police officer, you know, we realize that each and every day when we strap on the gun and badge we may not make it home at the end of the day," says President of the Fraternal Order of Police Jeff McAdams.
And in Florida, many officers on the job did not make it back this year. The Officer Down Memorial Page ranks Florida and Texas at the top of the list for officer fatalities- 13 of those belong to Florida.
Lakeland Police mourned the addition of one of their own to that list, as well...25 year old Arnulfo Crispin.
McAdams says more people are committing violence against officers, and this pattern is both deadly and mysterious.
“It’s a really odd trend because we’re seeing according to local, or crime statistics, a lot of communities are seeing crime going down but we’re not seeing assaults against officers match that.”
Gunfire deaths are also up among officers, and the US Attorney General's Office is working on an investigation.