Courtesy of the NY Post:

The number of cops killed in the line of duty during violent acts has almost doubled in the past year, the FBI said.

In 2014, 51 cops were killed in a felony crime — up from just 27 the year before, which marked a 35-year low, according to preliminary data released Monday by the FBI.

By region, eight cops were killed during the commission of a crime in the Northeast, 17 in the South, 14 in the West, eight in the Midwest and four in Puerto Rico.

An average of 64 officers were killed per year nationwide from 1980 to 2014 in felony cases, the FBI said.

The data come amid spiking tensions between law enforcement and minority communities after deaths of unarmed black men and boys at the hands of cops in Baltimore, Staten Island and Ferguson, Mo.

The recent turmoil also has shed light on the dangers faced by cops across the country.

Among the 51 slain cops, 46 were shot at with handguns, rifles and shotguns; four were run over by vehicles; and one was killed with the offender’s bare hands, the FBI said.

They faced a variety of situations, including 11 who responded to disturbance calls, 10 who were conducting traffic pursuits or stops, eight who were ambushed and six who were investigating suspicious people or situations.

Five cops were fatally injured during investigations, four were taking part in tactical situations, three were dealing with the mentally ill and one was killed in a drug-related case. Three others were killed while arresting suspects.

In addition to the violent cases, 44 other cops were accidentally killed in 2014 — including 28 car accidents and two accidental shootings. In 2013, 49 cops were killed in accidental cases.
The FBI will publish the full statistics in a fall annual report.