El Paso Standard

Congressman Tony Gonzales (R-TX) believes it's time to put more resources behind law enforcement officers as crime and police deaths in the nation continue to climb.

According to the New York Post, the number of police officers killed in the line of duty during President Joe Biden's first year in office climbed.

"Under Biden crime has skyrocketed and police deaths have hit a record high since 1995," Gonzales wrote in a Nov. 16 tweet. "We must prioritize funding for law enforcement and protect our men and women in blue so they can uphold law and order in American communities."

According to the FBI's database, 73 officers were murdered last year in the line of duty, an almost 59% rise from the previous year, when 46 cops were killed, the New York Post reported.

Statistics from the FBI reveal 74 police officers were killed in both 1995 and 1987, with the highest number of intentional deaths reaching 72 in 2011. Gunfire has consistently been the No. 1 cause of intentional police deaths, according to the New York Post.

Back in January, two New York City police officers were murdered when they were responding to a domestic situation at a Harlem apartment. According to the New York Post, their murders prompted a visit from Biden to talk bout how to stop the escalating gun violence in New York City with Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul.