The names of hundreds of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty were read aloud during the 36th annual Candlelight Vigil on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Monday. The event was part of National Police Week.
Thousands gathered on the Mall and lit candles to honor the lives of those officers who lost their lives on the job. The emotional event was livestreamed by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
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Police Week continues with memorials and events around the country. On Wednesday, the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service will be held at noon on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police and the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary, the service mainly honors officers who recently died in the line of duty.
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.
Each year, the names of officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. These names are then read aloud during the annual Candlelight Vigil to memorialize those who made the ultimate sacrifice. In 2024, 282 officers will be honored during the 36th Annual Candlelight Vigil, on Saturday, May 13th on the National Mall (between 4th and 7th Streets and Madison and Jefferson Drives) in Washington, DC. — National Police Week occurs every May, and in 2022 we will be commemorating it with live, in-person events. National Police Week will be observed from May 9–18. The National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum will hold ceremonies, including the 36th Annual Candlelight Vigil, to honor the fallen officers whose names have recently been added to the Memorial. The 36th Annual Candlelight Vigil will be held on Friday, May 13. View the entire National Police Week 2024 schedule: https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/police-week-schedule-2024/ _ Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the fallen, telling the story of American law enforcement, and making it safer for those who serve. The Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., which honors the names of all of the 24,067 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The National Law Enforcement Museum at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building is committed to preserving the history of American law enforcement and sharing the experiences of service and sacrifice for generations to come. Learn more at https://nleomf.org
