As Americans, we stand behind the men and women who serve to protect our communities. We pay tribute to those who died serving in the military on Memorial Day. We honor all who have served in the military on Veterans Day. We honor those in active service on Armed Forces Day. But a day that is unknown to the majority of Americans is National Peace Officers Memorial Day. A day that honors the men and women who have died in the line-of-duty while serving to protect here at home. A day for America’s fallen law enforcement officers.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation to designate the day of May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day in America. The week surrounding this day was to be known as National Police Week and officers who died in the line of duty from the previous year are honored. In 2015, 137 officers died in the line of duty and 3,389 survivors traveled to Washington, DC, to honor their fallen heroes. Among them were spouses, children, parents, siblings, significant others, coworkers and many other friends and family.
Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) has been planning National Police Week since 1984. The C.O.P.S. mission is to rebuild the shattered lives of survivors and co-workers affected by line-of-duty deaths through partnerships with law enforcement and the community. National Police Week not only honors their fallen hero, it serves as an introduction to hope and understanding as these survivors gather together and meet others who have experienced the same tragedy that has impacted their family. They find they are not alone.
“At first we didn’t want to even go,” said Randy Chrisman, surviving father of Kentucky State Trooper Eric Chrisman, EOW 6/23/2015. “But then we got there, we were treated like a VIP, and we were overwhelmed when we saw how many people were there to help honor our son.”
The week begins when survivors step off the plane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. They are immediately greeted by walking through lines of officers that have traveled from all over the nation to show their support. They are then escorted to large deluxe coach busses that transport them by an official motor escort to their C.O.P.S. hotel. The idea is to make sure every step is planned out for them to help relieve any added stress they might be experiencing.
From there, the week is full of events that honor their fallen loved one. The candlelight vigil held by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a beautiful evening tribute held outdoors that brings a crowd of over 20,000 people. This vigil commemorates the engraving of each officer’s name onto the memorial wall.
The Peace Officers Memorial Service is sponsored by the Grand Lodge of Fraternal Order of Police and its’ Auxiliary. This event takes place every year on May 15 and is held on the front lawn of the United States Capitol. When their schedule allows, the President of the United States often attends and greets surviving families. Each family has the opportunity to place a carnation in the annual ceremonial wreath as their loved one’s name is called.
C.O.P.S. hosts the annual National Police Survivors’ Conference on May 14 and 16. It is here that survivors gather to meet others who understand how they feel, attend seminar sessions specifically designed for their needs, and hear presentations delivering inspirational messages on hope and survival. “Meeting other parents who were going through the same thing helped us tremendously,” said Chrisman.
While the adults attend the seminars, surviving kids and siblings (kindergarten through grade 12) attend the C.O.P.S. Kids and Teens program. This year they attended distinguished training facilities such as the F.B.I. Training Academy in Quantico (Va.), the Fairfax County (Va.) Criminal Justice Academy, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Cheltenham (Md.), and were given a tour of the United States Capitol.
“It takes a lot of courage for these kids to attend the program,” says Mary Cortes, lead Coordinator of the Kids and Teens Program. “My favorite part is standing back and watching these ‘new best friends’ at the end of the day. Magic happens at this program.”
Throughout the week, C.O.P.S. worked tirelessly to make sure all events go as planned and survivors have everything they need. With 13 staff members, 99 members of Support Services, 25 law enforcement agencies involved with Support Services, and 915 hours served by volunteers, National Police Week 2016 was a success and those 3,389 survivors were able to do what they came to do; honor their fallen hero and take the first step on their own road to hope and healing.
Sara Slone is the Director of Public Relations at Concerns of Police Survivors. To learn more about C.O.P.S. programs and National Police Week, visit www.nationalcops.org.
