U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst honors law enforcement during National Police Week

In honor of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst recognizes and honors the service and sacrifice of our federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement. The week will be observed Sunday, May 10, through Saturday, May 16, 2020.

“I want to sincerely thank our men and women in law enforcement for their service to our citizens and our communities. Their devotion to duty, unwavering resolve, and sacrificial actions protect every single one of us and help keep our families safe,” Hurst said in a statement. “While we recognize them during this week every year, we should all be honoring and thanking them every single day for the job they do and the professional way in which they do it. Let’s take this week to recommit ourselves to do more in the future to honor and pay respect to these real-life heroes and their families.”

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 every year 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.

Based on data collected and analyzed by the FBI’s Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 89 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2019, including one officer, Biloxi police officer Robert McKeithen, in the Southern District of Mississippi.

Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing most of the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2019.

The names of the fallen officers who have been added in 2020 to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Memorial will be read Wednesday, May 13, 2020, during a Virtual Annual Candlelight Vigil. Because public events have been suspended due to COVID-19, the vigil will be livestreamed to the public at 8 p.m. (EDT). To register to view this free online event, visit www.LawMemorial.org/webcast.

To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.