President Trump and Members of Congress honor fallen officers
President Donald Trump was joined by Members of Congress on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol to mark Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15, 2018.
“Today, every American heart bleeds blue,” President Trump said.
The Memorial was established to honor police officers killed in the line of duty. Peace Officers Memorial Day marks the start of Police Week and has been observed since 1962 after a Joint Resolution was passed by Congress and signed by President John F. Kennedy. According to the Joint Resolution, Police Week was designated “In recognition of the service given by the men and women who, night and day, stand guard in our midst to protect.”
Speaking to the children of officers killed in the line of duty who attended the event, President Trump said, “Your moms and dads were among the bravest to ever live. When danger came, when darkness fell, when distraction loomed, they did not flinch. They were not afraid. They did not falter.”
This year, 199 names were read aloud during the ceremony from the “Roll Call of Heroes.” The list of names consisted of 70 officers who died of illnesses related to their service during the September 11 attacks, and who were previously unrecognized, and 129 law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty in 2017.