The Albuquerque FBI Division marked recent National Police Week events honoring our nation’s fallen law enforcement officers along with the release of the FBI’s annual report on officers assaulted in the line of duty.

In New Mexico, 162 law enforcement officers were assaulted in 2020, according to the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report issued October 18.

In 2019, 88 law enforcement officers were assaulted in New Mexico.

“Law enforcement officers are a valuable and essential part of the communities they serve,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda said. “Too often, these brave men and women are called upon to risk their lives to keep their fellow Americans safe. It is fitting we always keep in the mind the heroic sacrifices federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers make on a daily basis.”

The Albuquerque field office added two recently fallen FBI agents to its Wall of Honor, including Laura Schwartzenberger, who started her agent career in Albuquerque and was killed in Florida while investigating crimes against children.

An Albuquerque FBI agent was shot and wounded in December 2020 and another in July 2021 while performing their duties.

According to statistics reported to the FBI, 60,105 law enforcement officers were assaulted nationwide while performing their duties in 2020.

Based on these reports, there were 4,071 more officers assaulted in 2020 than the 56,034 assaults reported in 2019.

An FBI press release with a link to the data can be found at: https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-releases-2020-statistics-for-law-enforcement-officers-assaulted-in-the-line-of-duty.