More police officers killed in SA than in the US

Imogen Vollenhoven
28 January 2013

The Institute for Security Studies says the chances of a police officer being killed are five times higher in South Africa than in the United States.

 

Five officers have been killed in the line of duty since the beginning of the year.

In the latest incident, a police officer is fighting for his life in hospital following this morning's shootout between police and armed robbers at the Carnival City Casino on Gauteng's East Rand.

Johan Burger from the Institute for Security Studies said that in 2011 the US was just under 800 000  police officers with 72 of their police officers killed in the line of duty.

Burger adds that in South Africa during the same period with 155 000 police officers in South Africa had 93 officers killed in the line of duty.

Burger said that if it is broken down it gives one an average ratio of 1 for almost 11 000 00 police officers in the US and in South Africa its 1 for only 1 700 police officers.