Police Week 2007
Tim Dees
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
I’m in DC this week for the Police Week activities. This isn’t the first time I’ve experienced Police Week, but in the previous years I had always been here on other business, and didn’t have time to do much more than drop in here or there. This is a bit different.
If you have never seen the memorial during Police Week, then you should be prepared for a change. The Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Judiciary Square in DC is an impressive monument, but not a spectacular one. It is understated and low-profile. If you were walking by on the way to someplace else, you might mistake it for a small city park without much grass. This week, it definitely gets your attention. The cops that come here from all over the world decorate the memorial with flower wreaths, photos, cards of remembrance, and in one case, the door from a patrol car. There are hundreds of chairs set up in front of a stage, and scaffolding support lights, speakers and projectors on either side.
I got to the memorial on Saturday shortly after the participants of the Police Unity Tour arrived from their starting point in New Jersey (no, they didn’t do it in one leg). I was supposed to meet Officer.com contributor Jim Donahue for the first time, and I was really hoping he wasn’t going to tell me “I’ll be the one in the blue bike jersey.” This is a pretty impressive crowd, and a testimonial that today’s cops take better care of themselves than did previous generations. It’s not often that you can find this many cops in one place who can wear Spandex bike shorts and not look ridiculous.
The site was just barely large enough to host the crowd that was there for the Unity Tour ceremonies. Last night, when the Candlelight Vigil was held, it was definitely overcrowded. It might have been big enough if the attendance was restricted to the many officers who were there in their honor guard uniforms, but once you add in the officers’ families, the survivors of the slain officers, and spectators like me, it’s a mob scene. Deputy U.S. Marshals provided crowd control as best they could, manning “Do Not Cross” lines to keep some access routes open, and DC Metro police officers provided traffic control at adjacent intersections. But it was still a mosh pit with guns. Walking pathways gradually filled in and it was all but impossible to get from one place to another. Had EMS needed to rescue someone anywhere beyond the perimeter, they would have found it, at best, difficult to do so. Granted, this is one of the most polite and cooperative crowds you’re ever likely to see (nine out of ten people there are packing), but you can cram only so many people into a fixed space. Since this event gets bigger each year, it might be time to consider another venue for some ceremonies. Tomorrow’s memorial ceremony on the steps of the U.S. Capitol fronts the National Mall, which should be more than ample for the expected attendance.
I also heard a number of complaints about the way the agenda was moving along. Last afternoon and evening were blessedly cool with a light breeze, but dress uniforms are still not designed for comfort. I felt especially bad for the New South Wales (my apologies for referring to them as New Zealanders previously) contingent, who were wearing short leather jackets. Everything was just taking longer than it was expected to take. Buses carrying survivors (the guests of honor) came in waves, suggesting that there weren’t enough to bring them all at once. Ranks of officers who were serving as sideboys to line the path between the street and the survivors’ seats were marched in and out, but the intended appearance of military precision was difficult to maintain for cops who weren’t used to working with one another or to close order drill. When the command “parade rest” was called, about a fourth of the officers furthest from the commander misunderstood and executed a “right face,” instead. When the ceremonies did begin, most of the assembly couldn’t see what was going on. They could tell that someone was speaking or singing, but understanding the content was another matter.
So, the logistics need some work, but the spirit of the people remains the same. The purpose of the gathering may be to mourn and honor the dead, but the atmosphere is more of a celebration of life. You can strike up a conversation with anyone you see, and an uninitiated observer would think you had known one another for years. There’s an e-mail message passed around between cops that includes the statement “Police friends will run into you after years of no contact, and will just pick up the conversation where you left off.” Absolutely true. There were no strangers in the crowd - just friends I hadn’t met yet. I did find a few folks with whom I had worked in the past, including one academy classmate. One deputy remembered me from having used my patrol car to warm up while we were both working the scene of an airplane crash in January. That was January, 1985.
Today I’ll attend a few more events, introduce myself to some more friends, and enjoy being a member of the world’s best fraternity. More to come.
Not to nitpick, but those are New South Wales Police in the leather jackets. Understandable error, however. I wasn’t paying much attention to her shoulder patch myself. Hope to run into you tonight, Tim. Be safe.
Had a wonderful time this year. I attended the Candlelight Vigil on Sunday, then his the “Pit” after. A group of Boston Cops noticed my Sox hat and took me as one their own! By the time the night was over, out crowd consisted of Cops from Boston, Australia,London,California, DC and Virginia, Not bad!
Hi Tim. I found your site on Google News. I find your site, and your comments on Police Week interesting. I think its great that you are able to commemorate your own and come to the monument.
I write because I was wondering if you had any thoughts on the complaints from the neighborhood.
Let me temper my comment by saying that I have the utmost respect for your profession and what you do every day. I also recognize that 90% of the police that come to Police Week are respectful to the residents/community. Unfortunately, the 10% that piss on buildings, play bagpipes at 2am, etc. really hurt goodwill with our community.
I live in this neighborhood and have come to know that I can’t really count on sleeping before 3am on any given night during police week. After several close encounters with out-of-city police cars, I have also come to know that I have to take extra care as a pedestrian.
Its sad — one of my neighbors, a resident at GW hospital, stays with his girlfriend because if he didn’t he wouldn’t get the sleep he needs.
I completely understand the right to celebrate, but wish that didn’t come at the expense of my rights.
I’m writing this to hear any comments you may have and in the optimistic view that the group “self-police” in future years, preventing this type of behavior.
Respectfully,
A Chinatown Resident
Editor’s Note: Please see my comments on the “celebration.”
Why the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial doesn’t take into consideration nearby residents, our lives, and early work and school schedules while deciding to host an outdoor party on 2nd and H St. NW with loud music baffles me, but it must stop. Either that, or host the party indoors.
Sunday May 13, 2007 - Party (and music) ended at 2:00am, sharp
Monday May 14, 2007 - Party (and music) ended at 12:45am, sharp
Tuesday May 15, 2007 – Party (and music) ended at 12:15am, sharp.
It is atrocious the NLEOMF goes against DC’s noise ordinance LAWS and disrespectfully blasts music in the hours of the night while the minority runs amok and makes the entire event itself look bad.
Life can and should always be celebrated, but never at the cost of others.
After spending my 14th year in DC for Police Week, I have a few observations; By and large, officers in DC are there to celebrate and remember their fallen brothers and sisters. There are a few who act like children, but, that is true of ANY GROUP. The National Conference of Law Enforcement Emerald Societies, Inc, sponsor of the annual Pipe Band March and Memorial Service on the 14th, has gone to great lengths to remind members of noise and disturbances. We do not condone disorderly behavior. However, just because someone has bagpipes and is at police week does not mean they are with the NCLEES or police officers, for that matter, as a number of firefighter pipers come to DC during police week.
I wonder if the “China Town” residents would have been so offended if it was anti-war group or an environmental activist group. I’ve heard the complaining but I haven’t heard anything about the money that was brought into the city. One China Town resident told me that this was the one week that she felt safe to be outside after dark. We all know that “the good cop gone bad” story line sells. I was there Sunday and Monday nights and did not observe one police officer pissing on a building or yelling in the streets. Yes I did hear bagpipes at midnight by the memorial. What is the big deal? I also heard jets, traffics and sirens. The truth is when people want to find fault, guess what they will find it. Fortunately 90% of China Town residents were very friendly and represented themselves very well. I won’t let the 10% who are intolerant persuade me not to come back.
I would just like to say that I am the AUSSIE Officer in the picture shown… Yes it was very very hot in our leather Jackets.. But let me say it was worth it. There were 35 of us that travelled from New South Wales (Sydney) to attend the Memorial Week. I have been in the Police for 10 years and have never experienced anything like my time during memorial week. It was such an honour to be a part of everything. The comradirary that I witnessed was just amazing. It makes me proud to be now part of the international Police family. I am hoping to come back again next year.
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