BUFFALO, NY – COVID-19 accounted for 62% of the 295 law enforcement deaths reported in 2020 in the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund database, which tracks law enforcement officers. who died in the line of duty, according to a new publication. University of Buffalo study.
The study, published last month in Policing: An International Journal, also found that COVID-19 accounted for 82% of deaths among black members of law enforcement and 77% of deaths in Latino agents, far more than 48% of deaths among whites. police officers.
These figures are in line with CDC data that find that race and ethnicity are risk markers for higher COVID-19 mortality rates, along with socioeconomic status, access to health care. and exposure to the virus related to one’s own occupation.
Although the study specifically looked at deaths from COVID-19 among law enforcement officers in 2020, there are important lessons for police and other first responder organizations in the future, said John Violanti. PhD, first author of the study and professor of research in epidemiology and environmental health. at the UB School of Public Health and Health Professions.
It is the first study to examine the deaths of law enforcement by COVID-19 at the national level, demonstrating the widespread risk of COVID that officers face in their work.
In addition, says Violanti, COVID has proven to be another source of stress for an occupational group that is already facing numerous stressors that affect job performance and overall health. (Shots, car crashes and physical stress were among the leading causes of death among law enforcement other than COVID-19).
“The finding of the study that most law enforcement deaths in 2020 were due to COVID-19 reveals the added danger that law enforcement faces during this pandemic,” Violanti added. , a retired New York State officer and expert on police stress.
“Law enforcement was continually exposed to the disease and was mandated to assist others in prevention and cure. The study should encourage police and other organizations to make informed decisions about preparing for future disease outbreaks, “he said.
COVID-19 also counted deaths among prison officers, Violanti and co-perpetrators of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Crowding in prisons could be a possible explanation for COVID deaths among correctional officers, as inmates have a higher risk of COVID-19 due to their proximity to each other, the researchers write. Another factor is the alarmingly high rate of prison officers refusing to be vaccinated.
Most law enforcement officers who died of COVID-19 were men (94%) over the age of 50 (61.6%) with more than 20 years of service (54%) and reside in the southern states.
In addition, the national death rate due to COVID-19 (12.8 / 100,000 agents) for law enforcement officers was higher compared to all other causes of death combined, at 8.0 / 100,000. .
Given the complexity of personal exposures to COVID-19, researchers point out that the percentage of COVID deaths attributed to duty may actually be higher or lower.
Although this particular study only looked at law enforcement officers, the results suggest that other prime culprits, such as firefighters and the EMT, may also be disproportionately affected, the researchers note.
“To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends that organizations implement multiple layers of control, such as vaccinations, the use of masks, distancing, and increased ventilation in “situations where police, first responders and other workers are at risk are more likely to be in close and prolonged contact with the public,” Violanti said.