A policeman patrols the slum district of Petare in Caracas in this November 21, 2009 file photo. There were 268 police officers murdered in 2014 across Venezuela, one of the world’s most dangerous places to be a cop. Most of the officers were killed for their guns, cars, motorbikes or even telephones, according to local monitoring and rights group Foundation for Due Process, or Fundepro. The rest were victims of revenge killings or shootouts with criminals, and one officer was killed during political protests. With gangs running poor neighborhoods, weapons easily available, judges and police often on the take, and prosecution rates low, Venezuela is the world’s second worst country for homicides overall, the United Nations says. Lawlessness and violent crime have for long plagued daily life in Venezuela, and police are increasingly at the sharp end. Picture taken November 21, 2009. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins (VENEZUELA – Tags: CRIME LAW POLITICS CIVIL UNREST)