Law enforcement casualties in 1988
In 1988 there was a significant increase in law enforcement casualties with 141 fatalities (8.4% of the total), coinciding with the intensification of attacks by the PCP-Sendero Luminoso during their 'jump to strategic balance'.
During 1988 there was a sharp increase in law enforcement casualties, with a total of 141 fatalities (102 from the Armed Forces and 39 from the Police Forces), representing 8.4% of the total casualties during the entire conflict. This increase coincided with the period of the so-called 'jump to strategic balance' of the PCP-Sendero Luminoso, during which they intensified their attacks against police and military targets throughout the country. Police casualties were mainly the result of individual attacks ('annihilations') or subversive attacks against relatively isolated and poorly garrisoned police posts. In addition, 1,698 casualties of wounded or disabled personnel were reported as a result of combat or attacks perpetrated by subversive elements during the entire period of the conflict.