President Donald Trump touted Friday an executive order he signed directing prosecutors to seek the death penalty for anyone convicted of killing a police officer.
During remarks to law enforcement officers on Long Island, Trump pointed to an executive order he signed in January 2025 directing the attorney general to pursue capital punishment in appropriate federal cases involving the murder of police officers.
“Shortly after taking office, I signed a historic Executive Order directing that anyone convicted of killing a police officer should face the death penalty,” Trump said.
The president also pointed to a steep decline in the number of officers killed while on duty.
“Last year, deaths of law enforcement officers in the line of duty fell to an 80-year low,” Trump added.
A January 2026 report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund found that 111 officers died in the line of duty in 2025, down 25% from 148 the year before, marking an 80-year low. The total was the lowest since 1943, when 94 officers died.
“Each of the 111 fatalities we publish in this report represents a selfless sacrifice made on behalf of the community and the nation in which they serve,” National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund CEO Bill Alexander said.
“We lament to document even a single such death, but this encouraging downward trend in fatalities likely reflects the continued adoption of proven best practices by police, sheriff, and corrections agencies, as well as a growing emphasis on the physical and psychological health of the men and women who work to keep our communities safe.”
Gunfire remained the leading cause of officer deaths in 2025, killing 44 officers, down 15% from 52 in 2024. Traffic-related deaths fell 23%, from 44 to 34. Another 33 officers died from health-related and other causes, down 37% from 52 the previous year.
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