Peace Officers Memorial Day
Sunshine, warmer air, longer days…. ahh, lazy days a’comin! I love Spring! Summer is even a better sequel, but we have a couple months before we can start celebrating with fireworks and picnics with potato salad and hot dog barbeques. Nevertheless, with the nicer weather begins the parade season. And no, I’m not talking about the festive Memorial Day parades. Those are awesome, but we’re going to talk about those next time around. I’m talking about a different memorial day that’s been around for a long time, but you might not know a lot about. It’s Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week.
Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week was created in 1961, signed into law by John F. Kennedy in 1962, and has been recognized on May 15 of every year since then, so it’s been around for a while. It might sound new to you, though, because it’s not a national or public holiday where offices, schools, or governments get time off. In 2002, President George W. Bush signed a proclamation that Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week pay tribute to the local, State, and Federal law enforcement officers who serve and protect us with courage and dedication.
Now, not every area holds a parade, so you would benefit by looking at your local newspaper before grabbing your miniature American Flag or police department flag, and heading down to the corner of Main St. You might end up waiting for a loooong time for a string of police cars go past. In fact, much of the holiday focuses around the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington, D.C. On that wall are the names of the more than 17,000 law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty.
At 12:00 PM on May 15, people take part or participate in the memorial, especially those who lost family members, friends or colleagues who were local officers, by lowering their flags in remembrance of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Some police departments also may hold an annual law enforcement memorial ceremony. Remember the proclamation I told you about a little bit ago? The one that George W. Bush signed in 2002? Well, it also encourages state and local governments, and the people, to observe the day with ceremonies and activities. So, if Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week sounds like a new thing to you, and it’s something you would like to take part of, check your local listings, grab your mini-flags, and head toward the flashing lights!
Honor a Police Officer on our Virtual Wall of Honor
