This week marks National Police Week, and events and observances around the country will honor those peace officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Members of law enforcement, as well as families and loved ones, also will gather at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., to honor the fallen. Officer Media Group Editorial Director Lt. Frank Borelli (ret.) visited the memorial Monday and captured images from the day. Check out the above gallery for his photos.
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The Annual Candlelight Vigil to honor fallen officers will be at 8 p.m. Eastern on Monday on the National Mall. During the vigil, high-ranking government officials and others will read the names of officers who died in the line of duty. Go to nleomf.org for more information.
The National Peace Officers' Memorial Service will be at noon on the West Front of the Capitol. Sponsored by the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police and the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary, the service mainly honors fallen officers.
Go to the National Police Week website for more information about what's going on.
National Police Week's history goes back to 1962 when President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. The memorial service began in 1982 and its growth over the decades is bittersweet; while the outpouring of support is inspiring, it's still heartbreaking to see the number of fallen officers grow.
Listen to the latest episode of OFFICER Magazine's Officer Roll Call podcast to hear more about National Police Week events and their significance.
