The current nature of police officer fatalities in Australia and opportunities for prevention

Abstract

Policing is considered one of the most dangerous and stressful occupations. The role and duties of officers mean that they are more likely to encounter not only accidents, but also assaults. Furthermore, the physical demands and occupational stresses of the job mean that officers are at risk of medical conditions that cause strain on the body such as heart attacks. This paper examines the current nature of police officer fatalities in Australia. In turn, this paper aims to identify strategies to prevent police fatalities. To do this, the study examined all police officer deaths in Australia between 2002 and 2019 (n = 39). Results revealed three main typologies of police fatalities in Australia: accidents, assaults and health-related fatalities. Accidents accounted for the largest proportion of fatalities, followed by assaults and health fatalities. Furthermore, the results showed a significant decrease in the number of police fatalities post 2006. These results are discussed in terms of changes to policing policies and practices that may have influenced this decline. Overall, these findings provided valuable insights into the current nature of police fatalities. These findings have implications for policing authorities in implementing prevention strategies to reduce and prevent officer deaths.