What does this research mean for the field?

Non-fatal assault rates against US police officers decreased by 89% between 1993 and 2021, representing a steeper decline than the reduction in assaults observed among the general civilian population. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To estimate the occurrence, patterns, and long-term trends of non-fatal criminal assaults against active police officers in the United States between 1993 and 2021.

August 22, 2026Injury Prevention

Non-fatal assaults on police officers in the USA, 1993–2021

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Authors

DMDavid McDowall MXMin Xie CLColin Loftin

Discussion

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Overview

Survey analysis reveals an 89% decline in non-fatal assaults on US police officers from 1993 to 2021, suggesting improved safety may reduce officer use of force.

Key Points

To estimate the occurrence, patterns, and long-term trends of non-fatal criminal assaults against active police officers in the United States between 1993 and 2021.
Analyzed national data from the US National Crime Victimization Survey across four eras: 1993–1999, 2000–2005, 2007–2015, and 2016–2021.
Calculated assault frequencies and annual average rates per 1000 officers and compared them directly against civilian victimization trends.
Annual assault rates against police fell by 89%, decreasing from 796.3 per 1000 officers in 1993–1999 to 87.5 per 1000 in 2016–2021, outstripping the 69% decline observed in civilians (62.4 to 19.3 per 1000).
Simple assaults accounted for 78% of all violent attacks on police, and 70% of all attacks involved repeated offenses of a similar nature.

Cite This Study

McDowall et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a895ffeca7ade938187eed7 https://doi.org/10.1136/ip-2026-046244

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August 22, 2026Injury Prevention

Non-fatal assaults on police officers in the USA, 1993–2021

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

DMDavid McDowall MXMin Xie CLColin Loftin

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Survey analysis reveals an 89% decline in non-fatal assaults on US police officers from 1993 to 2021, suggesting improved safety may reduce officer use of force.

Key Points

To estimate the occurrence, patterns, and long-term trends of non-fatal criminal assaults against active police officers in the United States between 1993 and 2021.
Analyzed national data from the US National Crime Victimization Survey across four eras: 1993–1999, 2000–2005, 2007–2015, and 2016–2021.
Calculated assault frequencies and annual average rates per 1000 officers and compared them directly against civilian victimization trends.
Annual assault rates against police fell by 89%, decreasing from 796.3 per 1000 officers in 1993–1999 to 87.5 per 1000 in 2016–2021, outstripping the 69% decline observed in civilians (62.4 to 19.3 per 1000).
Simple assaults accounted for 78% of all violent attacks on police, and 70% of all attacks involved repeated offenses of a similar nature.

Cite This Study

McDowall et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a895ffeca7ade938187eed7 https://doi.org/10.1136/ip-2026-046244

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