Nation Pays Tribute to Service and Sacrifice of Law Enforcement Officers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison will recognize the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and tribal law enforcement. The week is being observed this year from Sunday, May 10 through Saturday, May 16, 2020. 

“Although we are grateful we did not witness any line-of-duty deaths of law enforcement officers in the Western District of Missouri in 2019,” Garrison said, “we are observing National Police Week in the shadow of the recent death of Springfield, Missouri, police officer Chris Walsh, who will be honored in Washington, D.C., at the national law enforcement memorial in 2021. We honor the memory of all of our nation’s law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect and serve their communities.”

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices.  Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.

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 underscored law enforcement officers’ courage and unwavering devotion to the communities they swore to serve. 

The names of the fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Memorial will be read on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, during a Virtual Annual Candlelight Vigil. Because public events have been suspended as a result of COVID-19, the vigil will be livestreamed to the public at 8:00 PM (EDT).  The online event can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/user/TheNLEOMF.