<p>A new report from The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) found that the number of &ldquo;blue lives&rdquo; lost in the line of duty increased dramatically in 2016. ;</p>
<p>Of the 135 police officers that died in the line duty in 2016, 64 were killed in firearms-related incidents.</p>
<p><strong>This is a 56% increase compared to 2015.  ;</strong></p>
<p>Those shootings included 21 ambush-style attacks, which is &ldquo;the highest total in more than two decades&rdquo; reports NLEOMF.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve never seen a year in my memory when we&rsquo;ve had an increase of this magnitude in officer shooting deaths,&rdquo; says NLEOMF president Craig Floyd. &ldquo;These officers were killed simply because of the uniform they wear and the job they do. This is unacceptable to the human society&hellip;&rdquo;</p>
<p>The impact on police officers across the country has been profound. Agencies struggle to find new recruits and current officers are constantly on edge. ;</p>
<p>In analyzing this data, it would be irresponsible to overlook the role of Black Lives Matter and other antagonistic groups who often fight back against police.</p>
<p>Far from condemning them, however, President Obama has actually encouraged Black Lives Matter and similar groups. I think we can place the blame for the rise in officer deaths squarely on his shoulders. ;</p>
<p>Retired police officer Lt. Randy Sutton, a rep. for Blue Lives Matter, agrees that Black Lives Matter is at least partially to blame. The movement &ldquo;legitimizes a call for terror, a call for violence. It adds an element of danger for law enforcement.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;When there&rsquo;s a mob in place and fervor builds up, people do things they wouldn&rsquo;t normally do independently,&rdquo; he continues. &ldquo;And it can inspire lone wolf attacks. There are weak-minded people, some mentally disturbed, who absorb this call to action and act upon it.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>The deadliest assaults of 2016 occurred in Dallas and Baton Rogue &ndash; both following the deaths of black men who died at the hands of police officers. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;There are risks every officer knows going in,&rdquo; says Sutton. &ldquo;But what is particularly frightening and disturbing at this point are the assassinations and entrapments, where police officers are lured into situations [in order] to kill them.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p><strong>Editor&#8217;s note:</strong>  ;Thanks Obama</p>