HISTORY

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Currently, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, DC to participate in a number of planned events which honor those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The Memorial Service began in 1982 as a gathering in Senate Park of approximately 120 survivors and supporters of law enforcement. Decades later, the event, more commonly known as National Police Week, has grown to a series of events which attracts thousands of survivors and law enforcement officers to our Nation's Capital each year.

The National Peace Officers Memorial Service, which is sponsored by the Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, is one in a series of events which includes the Candlelight Vigil, which is sponsored by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and seminars sponsored by Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.)

National Police Week draws in between 25,000 to 40,000 attendees. The attendees come from departments throughout the United States as well as from agencies throughout the world. This provides a unique opportunity to meet others who work in law enforcement. In that spirit, the Fraternal Order of Police DC Lodge #1 sponsors receptions each afternoon and evening during Police Week. These events are open to all law enforcement personnel and are an experience unlike any other

It is sad that the 39^th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial was cancelled due to the pandemic, but the National Law Enforcement Memorial and museum plan to march forward with a virtual candlelight vigil and reading of the names of fallen officers on May 13, 2020 at 8pm. https://nleomf.org/virtual-candle

In Castle Shannon, our officers will be wearing mourning bands over our badges from Midnight on Sunday May 10 through Midnight on Saturday May 16, 2020. Our patrol units will be adorned with blue ribbons. We salute those officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities.

https://www.odmp.org/