Acting U.S. Attorney recognizes police week, honors law enforcement who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty in 2020

DAYTON – In honor of National Police Week, Acting U.S. Attorney Vipal J. Patel recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Sunday, May 9 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.

“We join the nation in honoring the selfless men and women who sacrificed their lives or were injured in the line of duty. To them, we owe our deepest gratitude and respect,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patel.

Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities that they have sworn to serve.

During the Roll Call of Heroes, a ceremony coordinated by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), more than 300 officers will be honored. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), of the law enforcement officers who died nationwide in the line of duty in 2020, nearly 60% succumbed to COVID-19.

Additionally, according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents in 2020. LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website.

“Today, with heavy hearts, we join the nation and our law enforcement partners as we pay tribute to fallen heroes whose names will be read during a virtual candlelight vigil – including Kaia Grant and Adam McMillen of the Southern District of Ohio – who were killed in the line of duty in 2020. And we continue to honor Dayton detective and DEA task force officer Jorge Del Rio, who was killed in the line of duty in 2019,” Patel said.

Those who wish to view the Virtual Candlelight Vigil today, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF. The FOP’s Roll Call of Heroes can be viewed at www.fop.net. To view the schedule of virtual Police Week events in May, please view NLEOMF’s Police Week Flyer.   

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