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Press Release

U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff Recognizes Police Week

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Texas

SAN ANTONIO – In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Ashley C. Hoff  recognizes the dedication, service and sacrifice of federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement. This year, the week is observed Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

“This week, we gather to pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives in service to our country,” said Attorney General Garland. “We remember the courage with which they worked and lived. And we recommit ourselves to the mission to which they dedicated their lives. On behalf of a grateful Justice Department and a grateful nation, I extend my sincerest thanks and gratitude to the entire law enforcement community.”

“Our law enforcement officers fulfill a critical role in ensuring the protection of an orderly society and back that commitment with their very lives,” said United States Attorney Ashley C. Hoff.  “Here in the Western District of Texas we extend our deepest respect and gratitude to our law enforcement partners and  join Attorney General Garland, along with the entire Department of Justice, in publicly thanking them for their service and sacrifice.”

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 falls on May 15 each year, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers nationwide died  in the line of duty in 2021.  Of that number, 319 succumbed to COVID-19.  According to the Officer Down Memorial site, 34 officers died in the line of duty in the Western District of Texas.

Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed by felonious acts whereas 56 died in accidents.  Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year.  In 2021, unprovoked attacks  were the cause of 24 deaths significantly outpacing all other line of duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting.  LEOKA statistics can be found on FBI’s Crime Data Explorer website for the LEOKA program. 

The names of the 619 fallen officers added this year to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial will be read on Friday, May 13, 2022, during a Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C., starting at 8:00 PM EDT. Those who wish to view the vigil live online, can watch on the NLEOMF YouTube channel found at https://www.youtube.com/TheNLEOMF. The schedule of National Police Week events is available on NLEOMF’s website.

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Updated May 11, 2022