The 2009 officer fatality report states that police officer deaths were down in 2008 compared to 2007. There were 140 officer deaths in 2008 compared to 181 in 2007. Although it is good the number of officers killed in the line of duty is smaller, it is still tragic that so many police officers are killed each year. This article from Fox News does a good job of reporting the information.
It is a stark reminder that police work is inherently dangerous. There are other occupations where dedicated folks are placed in danger but outside of the military, only law enforcement are charged to deal with armed confrontations and deal with situations that are required to intervene and have the authority to use deadly force.