NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On Monday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation released its annual report about the volume and nature of crimes targeting law enforcement officers in the state.
The report found that simple assault was the most common kind of violent crime reported against law enforcement in 2021, with 1,442 incidents reported. There were also 1,002 incidents involving aggravated assault.
Both types of assaults were an increase by around 100, compared to 2020. There were also 141 reports of intimidation and a single report of stalking.
There was also a single report of murder involving a law enforcement officer in Tennessee, according to the report.
Almost all of the officers involved in the incidents were white men, according to the report. Around 89% of officers were white, and around 89% of them were men. Most were also between 25 years old and 34 years old.
Around 1,600 incidents did not result in an injury, but 585 did result in a minor injury. Four incidents resulted in unconsciousness and eight resulted in a possible internal injury, according to the report. Most happened at a home or on a road, according to the report.
Most people who reportedly assaulted an officer also used fists, teeth, or hands. These are classified as "personal weapons" in the report and 1,349 incidents in it involved them. However, there were 487 incidents where vehicles were involved.
Around 150 incidents in the study involved people using handguns, while 94 involved a knife or another kind of cutting instrument.
Incidents most commonly occurred while law enforcement officers were responding to a disturbance call. However, 489 incidents happened during other arrests and 378 happened during traffic pursuits and stops.
Only 15 were reported during a kind of "civil disorder," while 14 incidents were classified as an ambush with no warning beforehand.