Police Week 2012 is upon us. As I type this on May 8th, today there was the Blue Mass marking the opening of Police Week ceremony and events. While the rest of this blog entry is informative about those events and opportunities, I want to insure we keep our focus first and foremost: Police Week, and specifically May 15th, is Peace Officers Memorial Week/Day. This is the one time each year that we remember those brother and sister law enforcement professionals who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Remember them. Support and console their surviving family members all you can. Conduct yourself in a manner that will continue to shine an honoring light on their sacrifice.
This year, as we have in the past three years, Officer.com is honored to be live-streaming the Candlelight Vigil online. If you can't attend the Vigil in person on Sunday, May 13th starting at 8:00 pm eastern, you can still take advantage of this free online streaming to participate in what is truly an overwhelmingly emotional and moving event. Preregistration is required. You can register via this link: Candlelight Vigil Webcast Registration
This year as well, we're also live streaming the Peace Officers' Memorial Service on Tuesday, May 15th at 11:00 am eastern. Preregistration is NOT required.
Links to view both those events will be available on the Officer.com homepage prior to them beginning.
This year too, at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, on May 13th & 14th, OfficerWorld is happening. Having teamed up with the National Sheriffs Association, OfficerWorld is offering training - gratis (free) to the attending police officers - focusing on the risks that contributed to so many losses in 2011. Those topics of instruction include Ambush Avoidance / Ambush Response, Self- Buddy-Aid Trauma Care, and Field Leadership looking at minimizing risk while answering calls with reduced manpower. The courses will be held Sunday, May 13th and Monday, May 14th from 0800-1200 both days.
On Sunday, May 13th starting at noon, OfficerWorld is proud to announce that LtCol Dave Grossman - Pulitzer Prize nominee and internationally recognized expert on inter-personal violence - will be delivering the keynote address. If you've never experienced Col. Grossman at his energetic best, you definitely don't want to miss this two hour block.
Thanks to the sponsors of this event, all of whom provide products or education to decrease officer risk and increase officer survival, all of the training and attendance to the keynote address is free of charge to registered law enforcement attendees. Those sponsors will have booths in the Ronald Reagan Bldg & International Trade Center to display their products or to showcase the education types they provide.
For a complete list of events occurring during Police Week, you can check out www.policeweek.org, OR you could download the free OfficerWorld app. The app includes a schedule for the shuttle buses as well. Those shuttles, running May 13th, 14th &15th, from 1130 am until stopped by the FOP, will run loops from the Law Enforcement Memorial to Tent City (different location this year) and then to the Ronald Reagan Bldg while OfficerWorld is still open. Once the expo floor closes, the shuttles will continue to run back and forth from the Memorial to Tent City.
I hope to see you there. If you can't join us in DC, please register for and share in viewing the Candlelight Vigil. It truly will help you recharge your warrior batteries.
