WASHINGTON — The number of law enforcement officers who died performing their duties in the United States declined by about 23 percent in 2012 after rising the two previous years, a nonprofit organization reported Thursday.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund said in a report that 127 federal, state, and local officers have died in 2012 from injuries suffered on the job. The majority of officers who died were either shot or were victims of traffic accidents, figures show.