Police Officer Memorial Week ~ May 12th – 18th

May 12^th – 18^th, 2013 has been designated Police Officer Memorial Week to honor fallen officers across the country. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day along with the week in which May 15th 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.

Crime fighting takes a very special individual, one who would sacrifice their life to help another.  Since the first recorded police death in 1791, there have been over 19,000 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.  Currently, there are 19,981 names engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. More than 1,500 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty during the past 10 years, an average of one death every 57 hours or 154 per year. There were 120 law enforcement officers killed in 2012; and Texas has lost more officers than any other state with a total of 1,653 officer deaths. There are currently more than 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers now serving in the United States, which is the highest number ever.  About 12 percent of those are female.

On Thursday, May 16, 2013 the City of Southlake’s Police Department will host a ceremony to commemorate fallen officers at the Rustin Pavilion in Town Square at 10:00 a.m. with a proclamation to be read by Mayor John Terrell. The Memorial Ceremony will be an occasion to not only honor law enforcement personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice, but also a time to thank Southlake Police Officers and Officers everywhere who protect and serve their communities.