In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Currently, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, DC to participate in a number of planned events which honor those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The Memorial Service began in 1982 as a gathering in Senate Park of approximately 120 survivors and supporters of law enforcement. Decades later, the event, more commonly known as National Police Week, has grown to a series of events which attracts thousands of survivors and law enforcement officers to our Nation's Capital each year.
Police Week provides an opportunity for to honor, remember, and support the sacrifices of law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
It serves as a solemn yet important occasion for law enforcement personnel, survivors, and citizens to come together and pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.