U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio Recognizes National Police Week

CLEVELAND - In honor of National Police Week, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. This year, the week is observed May 11-17, 2025.

“This week as we remember those who lost their lives in the line of duty, it’s especially tough for our District, as several communities continue to mourn the loss of two of our local police officers. We honor and pay tribute to them, and to the others throughout the country, who have paid the ultimate price while protecting our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik. “To these courageous men and women, we say thank you.”

Based on data in the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) 2024 Annual Report, 148 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2024. Of those, four were from Ohio with two fatal shootings taking place in the Northern District of Ohio.

The first fatality in the USAO District was Jacob Derbin, 23, who served with the Euclid Police Department. On May 11, 2024, Officer Derbin was shot as he responded to a call to assist a woman who was receiving death threats from an ex-boyfriend. The second fatality was Jamieson Ritter, 27, who served with the Cleveland Division of Police. Officer Ritter was shot while serving an arrest warrant on July 4, 2024.

The names of all fallen officers in 2024 will be engraved on the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial and will be read aloud at the 37^th Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., on Friday, May 16, 2025, at 8 p.m. The vigil will be streamed live, online via the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. 

Locally, the Cleveland Police Memorial Society will host a series of events to honor law enforcement including a grave marker ceremony, a candlelight vigil, and a number of gatherings. Local, county, state, and federal agencies will take part in a Police Week Parade Friday, May 16, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. Details are available at policememorialsociety.org.

Police Week memorial events will also be held throughout the District in Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Toledo, Mansfield, and Elyria.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week as a way to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifice. Peace Officers Memorial Day is observed annually on May 15 and specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.