Honor the Fallen: Never Forget

May 13, 2019
Another year. 163 officers fallen in the line of duty. Never forget. Honor them always.

Mother’s Day used to be a day of pure joy (unless mom got mad at you). It’s always on a Sunday; the family is usually together; meals are special and delicious or the restaurant is usually pretty nice. After all, it’s all about spoiling mom. For a great many people that has never changed. Of course, when your mother passes, Mother’s Day changes for you, but while you have the memories of your mom, if you’re male and married, you have your wife – most often also a mom – to focus that Mother’s Day love on. You have children to help shop for gifts and cards, meals to plan, etc. Then there is this different group of people: those moms who wear a uniform or those moms whose spouse wears a uniform. Mother’s Day can be different for them, not only because those in uniform might not be home all day to celebrate, but also because Mother’s Day kicks off National Police Week.

Before going on, let’s recognize that law enforcement professionals aren’t the only ones who serve in uniform and miss days like Mother’s Day. As much as this site serves the law enforcement community, we have to recognize that all in public safety make the same sacrifice as far as missing time and all of our military forces do the same. We recognize and appreciate their sacrifice and hope that their Mother’s Day was, if not as great as it could have been, at least pleasant given the circumstances.

For those of us attached to law enforcement, whether it’s actually wearing the uniform or being in a relationship with someone who does, Mother’s Day launches National Police Week. May 15th is National Peace Officer’s Memorial Day and whatever week that date falls within is Police Week. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington DC holds a Candlelight Vigil on May 13th each year to remember and honor all those who gave their lives in the line of duty the year before as well as those from previous years who, for whatever circumstance, hadn’t made it onto the memorial.

This year (2019) we remember and honor 163 officers who died in the line of duty last year. The names of those officers along with over 150 others from previous years, were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in April and will be read one by one during the Candlelight Vigil. Their surviving families will be treated with dignity and special care as if they are fragile – because in some ways they are. On Mother’s Day, for them this year, they were traveling to Washington DC to be part of a ceremony that will honor their fallen loved one and there’s simply no way to do that without the constant reminder that their loved one isn’t there to do it with them.

Think about that for a few moments: When you’re getting ready to go on travel, for work or on vacation with your family, you plan your trip, pack your wardrobe as necessary, add the few things you’ll need for some down time and relaxing, and are ready to go with the only potential negative thought being the time you’ll be away from your family (if it’s a work trip). When these families plan and pack for their trip to Washington DC to be present when their fallen warrior is honored, every step along the way is a reminder of that lost loved one. The “down time” isn’t for being a tourist or entertaining the children, but the entire trip focuses around one reality: their law enforcement professional family member is no longer with them. That feeling and reality remains steady for the entire trip from the beginning of planning until they are finished unpacking and doing laundry after they’ve returned home. One can only imagine how that feels unless you’ve been through it – and you have our sincere condolences if you have.

The other face of National Police Week is the emotional reconnection and “recharge” that occurs with tens of thousands of law enforcement professionals gather to honor their lost comrades. The Thin Blue Line is a family and even when we bicker among each other, we never turn our backs on the family. It binds us. The risks we take together and for each other, as much as we take them for the communities we serve, are a constant reconfirmation of our dedication to the profession and to each other. Those who pin on a badge – no matter its shape, size or type of issuing agency – and do the job with integrity all belong to a unique combined and committed family. When that family comes together to mourn their fallen, they also join in a reaffirmation of their willingness to face the challenges and dangers together: anywhere, anytime without fail.

When you look at it that way, it’s a family reunion of sorts and there are certainly law enforcement friends from all over the nation (indeed, all over the world) who only see each other during Police Week. They meet at the Memorial or see each other at Tent City (hosted by DC’s FOP #1) and now they can tour the National Law Enforcement Museum together as well. They share a meal (or a few), raise a drink to the fallen, walk together in somber silence to find specific names on the wall, and leave tokens of memories for those they have lost. As much as they spend time remembering and honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, they join with their brothers and sisters in the Thin Blue Line family and celebrate another year together; another year to look forward; another year to honor the fallen by continuing to do the job professionally with courage, commitment, pride and honor.

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