It is a shocking number and a concern all Americans should have. Ambush killings of police officers are up 167 percent this year in the United States.According to USA Today, it ties for the deadliest year for such attacks, matching 2014’s 16 ambush killings.There now have been 40 officers shot and killed in ambush-style shootings since 2014.A total of 115 officers have been killed in the line of duty in 2016, a 15 percent increase over last year, USA Todayreports. Those killed by gunfire total 52, a 58 percent increase.On average, one officer is killed in the line of duty in the U.S. every 61 hours and more than 20,000 police officers have died in the line of duty since 1791, the newspaper reported.Needless to say, being a police officer today is risky work. For the risk involved, the pay is too low in most instances. The ambush killings of police officers are alarming. Today, a police officer who responds to a call can be at risk. Officers never know what to expect. There are programs, beginning with small children, to teach respect for the police. That’s good.There are so many people armed today, so many mentally disturbed in our society, that adds to the risk for officers.Respect for life is lacking in the United States. Until there is respect for life, the shootings will continue, and police officers will be a target, along with other innocent victims.