Nice Guys Finish Dead

By Janice Castro

So much for all those myths that policemen who die in the line of duty are typically macho hot dogs who take too many risks. A new FBI study has determined that most of the 762 U.S. law-enforcement officers killed by suspects in the past decade were especially decent people who just let their guard down. In interviews with 50 cop killers, says FBI forensic psychologist Anthony Pinizzotto, the agency heard again and again that the victims provided an opening when they took it easy on the suspect. To spare one collar the discomfort of being handcuffed behind his back, for example, a policeman cuffed him in front and let him ride in the patrol-car passenger seat; the suspect grabbed the officer's gun and killed him. Female officers reportedly were tougher on body searches -- and it paid off. Policemen reluctant to conduct thorough body searches of other men were killed by criminals who concealed weapons in their pants.

With reporting by Wendy Cole