In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls as National Police Week. Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, National Police Week pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. 

In 1994, Congress amended the U.S. Flag Code to direct that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on May 15.

In the United States, law enforcement has always been, and remains, the only civilian profession where its sworn members are routinely murdered and feloniously assaulted just for trying to do the jobs we ask them to do.

The Officers

According to the “Officer Down Memorial Page,” as of this writing, in 2014, 17 police officers have been murdered in the line of duty: 14 by gunfire, three by vehicular assault, and one by assault. Last year, according to the same source, police officer murders across the U.S. totaled 38: 30 by gunfire, 5 by vehicular assault, two by stabbing, and one by explosive device; about three police officers murdered each month.

According to the latest figures available from the FBI (which has an entire program dedicated to tracking the killing and assaulting of police officers) in 2012: 52,901 officers were assaulted while performing their duties, an average of 145 assaults on police officers somewhere in the U.S. every day.

Police K9s

Beyond these, we also honor the police K9s (police dogs) who are also sometimes tragically killed in service to their communities. As of this writing, in 2014, seven K9s have been killed serving their communities: Three of these were shot to death and one was stabbed to death. In 2013 there were 17 Police K9 line of duty deaths. Four were killed by gunfire, two were struck by vehicles, one was stabbed to death, and one died in a fall during a search. 

Please keep these chilling figures in mind as we move into National Police Week this year. Please especially keep them in mind on National Peace Officer Memorial Day on May 15.

NPOMD badge2014-lgThe Poem

In 1993, while still living and serving in Long Beach, I was so moved by the on-duty murder of Officer Martin Ganz in Manhattan Beach that I wrote a brief and simple poem and sent it to the agency’s Chief of Police. Later, while attending the funeral with thousands of fellow law enforcement officers from all over the country, I was stunned and humbled to hear the Chief recite my poem during the ceremony.

I have since sent that same poem far too many times, to far too many Chiefs of Police around the country, in honor of officers they, too, have lost. Some of those officers were friends and colleagues of mine.

This is the humble poem I first wrote and shared 21 years ago:

~~~

Vacancy

The silence, now, is deafening
where once his (or her) laughter fell.

The beat is empty of the one
who knew its streets so well.

The squad room has a vacancy
no one else can occupy.

And so we stand, salute, and grieve.
Again we say good-bye.

~~~

Out of upmost respect ,and in compliance with federal law, I will fly my flag at half-staff for the entire day on May 15th in honor of all of my brother and sister officers and our police K9’s who have died serving their communities and, by extension, their nation.

Honor is due. May all of our fallen law enforcement officers rest in peace. 

Read more: