WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — In honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day, flags across America are being flown at half-staff Wednesday.
In Washington, D.C., the National Fraternal Order of Police and the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary are preparing to host the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on the West Front of the United States Capitol.
Remembering those who have fallen
The service will be held in remembrance and honor of the men and women killed in the line of duty. Family members of the fallen officers and fellow law enforcement members are expected to be present.
For 43 years, the memorial service has honored the men and women who have fallen while serving in the line of duty. Honor guard teams will take 15-minute shifts over twelve hours, standing watch over the memorial wreaths that will be laid for the fallen officers.
As part of his proclamation on Peace Officers Memorial Day, President Joe Biden wrote, “Every day, police officers pin on their shields and walk out the door, rushing into harm’s way to keep the rest of us safe. Being a police officer is more than what they do — it is who they are.”
The service is scheduled to start around noon ET and is expected to run for three and a half hours.
National Police Week
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UNITED STATES – MAY 13: The family of Off. Peter Jerving, of the Milwaukee Police Department, who was killed in the line of duty on February 7, 2023, mourn during an event at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to honor officers who lost their lives in 2023, on Monday, May 13, 2024. The event was part of the annual Police Week gathering. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) -
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 13: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland visits the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to commemorate the start of Police Week on May 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. May 15th was proclaimed as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week it falls in as Police Week by President John F. Kennedy decades ago, but what started with a small group in the early 1980s has grown to thousands gathering annually in Washington, DC to reflect, honor and support police officers. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) -
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 13: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland looks at photographs, flowers, and mementos left for fallen officers as he visits the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to commemorate the start of Police Week on May 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. May 15th was proclaimed as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week it falls in as Police Week by President John F. Kennedy decades ago, but what started with a small group in the early 1980s has grown to thousands gathering annually in Washington, DC to reflect, honor and support police officers. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) -
UNITED STATES – MAY 13: Chief Spike Jones of the Kenton County, Ky., Police Department, attends an event at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to honor officers who lost their lives in 2023, on Monday, May 13, 2024. The event was part of the annual Police Week gathering. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) -
UNITED STATES – MAY 13: Hudson, 2, the son of Patrolman Joseph Lee Barlow, of the McAlester (Okla.) Police Department, who was killed on Monday, March 20, 2023, attends an event at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to honor officers who lost their lives in 2023, on Monday, May 13, 2024. The event was part of the annual Police Week gathering. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) -
UNITED STATES – MAY 13: Kimberly Redd, the wife of Off. Geoffrey Redd of the Memphis Police Department, who was killed in the line of duty on February 18, 2023, mourns during an event at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to honor officers who lost their lives in 2023, on Monday, May 13, 2024. The event was part of the annual Police Week gathering. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) -
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 13: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland visits the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to commemorate the start of Police Week on May 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. May 15th was proclaimed as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week it falls in as Police Week by President John F. Kennedy decades ago, but what started with a small group in the early 1980s has grown to thousands gathering annually in Washington, DC to reflect, honor and support police officers. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) -
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 13: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland consoles Alicia Marconi, a deputy sheriff from Oneida County, New York, who becomes emotional while mourning her friend and coworker Kurt B. Wyman at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on May 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. May 15th was proclaimed as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week it falls in as Police Week by President John F. Kennedy decades ago, but what started with a small group in the early 1980s has grown to thousands gathering annually in Washington, DC to reflect, honor and support police officers. Wyman was a deputy sheriff who was killed in the line of duty on Jun 7, 2011. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) -
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 13: (R-L)U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer, and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to commemorate the start of Police Week on May 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. May 15th was proclaimed as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week it falls in as Police Week by President John F. Kennedy decades ago, but what started with a small group in the early 1980s has grown to thousands gathering annually in Washington, DC to reflect, honor and support police officers. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) -
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 13: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland (L) stops to look at photographs, flowers, and mementos left for fallen officers as he visits the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to commemorate the start of Police Week on May 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. May 15th was proclaimed as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week it falls in as Police Week by President John F. Kennedy decades ago, but what started with a small group in the early 1980s has grown to thousands gathering annually in Washington, DC to reflect, honor and support police officers. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) -
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 13: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland (L) and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco (R) look at photographs, flowers, and mementos left for fallen officers as they visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to commemorate the start of Police Week on May 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. May 15th was proclaimed as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week it falls in as Police Week by President John F. Kennedy decades ago, but what started with a small group in the early 1980s has grown to thousands gathering annually in Washington, DC to reflect, honor and support police officers. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
This year, Peace Officers Memorial Day falls during National Police Week — a time when Americans can honor, remember and support the nation’s law enforcement officers. The week allows current officers, survivors and citizens to gather at the nation’s capital to pay homage to those who lost their lives in the line of duty.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial will host events all week long in remembrance of the fallen officers.
Data displayed on the Officer Down Memorial Page drives home the dangers facing officers.
So far this year, 58 officers have died while serving their communities. Twenty-five of those deaths happened just last month.
Plus, 21 police officers have been shot and killed in the line of duty, including 23-year-old Euclid Police Department Police Officer Jacob Derbin who was killed Saturday after he was ambushed by a suspect while responding to a disturbance call.
