Rising Police Deaths Worry Fbi Chief

Seventy-six law enforcement officers were murdered on duty in 1994, 6 more than the previous year, the FBI reported Sunday.

“These grave losses show again the great need to find more effective ways to protect law enforcement officers,” said FBI Director Louis J. Freeh.

Sixteen officers were slain attempting to prevent robberies or catch robbery suspects; 9 were attempting arrests for earlier crimes; 3 were investigating drug cases, and 3 were trying to catch burglary suspects. Fifteen were killed investigating suspicious people or circumstances; 9 enforcing traffic laws; 8 answering disturbance calls; 7 in ambushes, 4 while handling mentally deranged people and 2 while handling prisoners.