Police patrol and and search for suspects at the slum of Petare in Caracas in this November 14, 2008 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 14, 2008. REUTER/ Jorge Silva (VENEZUELA – Tags: POLITICS CRIME LAW)