ArticleLancet regional health. Americas2025
Mortality among law enforcement officers in the United States: a population-wide analysis of the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance data, 2020-2023.
Article in Lancet regional health. Americas, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Methodological considerations in the assessment of mortality risk among law enforcement officers.Lancet regional health. Americas · 2026Article
- Clarifying methods and interpretations in law enforcement mortality surveillance: response to Kamal.Lancet regional health. Americas · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Law enforcement officers (LEOs) face unique occupational hazards that can influence both timing and causes of death. Our objective was to deliver the most comprehensive, population-based portrait of mortality among LEOS in the U.S.-capturing when, why, and among whom deaths occur. By integrating multiple national data sources, we provide a detailed account of mortality patterns that can inform prevention efforts and guide policy. Methods: Using the National Occupational Mortality Surveillance (NOMS) data for 2020-2023, we estimated all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates by sex for individuals whose usual occupation was law enforcement. Findings: The study population comprised ∼2.5 million working-age decedents (ages 16-64), including 15,384 LEOs. LEO decedents had an average age of 53.7 (SD = 9.4), they were predominantly of men (85.3% [n = 13,127]), and had a racial/ethnic composition that closely mirrored that of the working-age population. LEOs exhibited higher all-cause mortality risk than the working-age population, with age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) of 421.8 (95% CI = [414.3, 429.4]) and 400.7 (95% CI = [383.9, 417.4]) per 100,000 for male and female LEOs, respectively. Among male LEOs, the leading causes of death were circulatory conditions (ASMR = 100.7, 95% CI = [97.2, 104.2]), cancer (ASMR = 82.5, 95% CI = [79.3, 85.7]), suicide (ASMR = 36.4, 95% CI = [34, 38.9]), and COVID-19 (ASMR = 49.7, 95% CI = [47.2, 52.1]) (all per 100,000). Among female LEOs, cancer was the leading cause of death (ASMR = 135.2, 95% CI = [125.6, 144.8] per 100,000). Interpretation: As first responders, LEOs face a unique constellation of occupational hazards that contribute to increased mortality risk. Our findings underscore the need for targeted intervention and prevention efforts to reduce the burden of cardiovascular, cancer-related, and suicide mortality among LEOs. Funding: The authors received no funding support for the current work.
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