In 2020, a staggering 306 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty across the United States. Sadly, this number represents an almost 96% increase compared to the previous year.

As done every year, these names will be engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C. These additions bring the total to 22,611 officers who have been killed in the line of duty, and who are forever memorialized there.

To further remember these fallen heroes, individuals, departments and communities alike are invited to participate in National Police Week. This year, from May 9th to May 15th, the NLEOMF—National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund—is hosting a variety of virtual programs and ceremonies. This allows current officers to remain safe while ensuring everyone has a chance to participate.

For those who want to honor these brave officers, in-person events are planned for October 13-17th, which is National Police Weekend, in Washington D.C.

 

VirTra Honors Our Heroes

VirTra honors all the local, state and federal peace officers who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us all safe from harm. To all active and retired first responders, we say: thank you.

 

VirTra’s mission is to help police officers and citizens return home safely every day. This is why VirTra creates intense, immersive judgmental use of force and de-escalation training solutions that keep both law enforcement and their communities safe and prepared. We are meticulous in assuring every aspect of each scenario, curriculum, recoil kit and electronic device is the highest quality for maximum realism and training. After all, realistic, science-based simulations and better learning methodology should be accessible to all law enforcement.

The morning of Thanksgiving is usually filled with the scent of roasting turkey. While families across the nation were preparing to give thanks on Thursday, November 23, 2017, Oakland County (Michigan) Sheriff’s department was mourning a fallen officer. Deputy Eric Overall, a 22-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, was killed while trying to stop a suspect during a police chase.

He was one of 128 officers killed in the line of duty in 2017.

This week, we give thanks for law enforcement officers around the country during National Police Week, May 13-19. Officers like Rogelio Santander, Jr. of the Dallas Police Department, who was shot and killed in the line of duty while arresting a suspect for shoplifting at a Home Depot store. Sergeant Curtis Billue and Sergeant Christopher Monica were shot and killed after being attacked by two inmates in Putnam County, Georgia. And, Detective Miosotis Familia, a 12-year veteran of the New York Police Department, who was shot and killed from ambush as she sat in a marked mobile command post vehicle at the intersection of East 183rd Street and Morris Avenue in the Bronx.

Tens of thousands of officers from across the United States will commence on Washington D.C. this week to pay tribute to the honorable men and women who have given their lives in the pursuit of justice. The week includes National Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15th, which pays tribute to the local, state, and federal peace officers who have died, or who have been disabled, in the line of duty.

National Police Week and National Peace Officers Memorial Day were proclaimed in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy and were established by a joint resolution of Congress. National Police Week is principally organized by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the Fraternal Order of Police/Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary and by the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) group.

During this National Police Week, we at VirTra wish to salute and thank the men and women who serve in police departments across our nation every day, who put their lives on the line to protect residents in their communities around the clock.

And to all of the fallen officers who gave their lives in the pursuit of justice, we honor you and your families on this day and every day.

In 2016, 143 police officers died while on duty across the U.S. Those brave officers will be honored today during National Police Week.

By Bob Ferris, CEO VirTra

After St. Louis County Police Officer Blake Snyder was shot and killed while responding to a 911 call for a residential disturbance on Oct. 6, 2016, many residents across the Missouri community showed their support for the fallen officer’s family and fellow officers by replacing their porch lights with blue light bulbs.

“I’ve never seen community support like we got here,” said Sgt. John Wall of the department. “You couldn’t buy a blue light bulb in a store around here for a month.”

Because of Snyder’s death, National Police Week, which runs from May 15 through May 21 to honor fallen police officers across the nation, will be even more personal to his department’s officers this year, said Wall. National Police Week events are held in Washington, D.C., and are attended by about 40,000 officers from across the United States annually.

Snyder was one of 143 U.S. police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2016, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. That’s the highest total since 2011, when 178 officers died while on the job. So far, through May 10, 46 police officers have died in the line of duty in 2017, according to the group.

Snyder, a four-year veteran of the police department, was 33 years old. He was married and the father of a two-year-old son.
Some 10 St. Louis County Police Department officers, including Chief Jon Belmar, will travel to Washington to participate in the National Police Week activities, including National Peace Officers Memorial Day, which is commemorated today, May 15. A memorial service will be held at the U.S. Capitol building for the officers who were killed in 2016, followed by a wreath laying ceremony. Surviving family members of the officers will be honored during the events.

The police department, which has 855 officers and just received approval to begin hiring another 145 officers soon, has been sending a contingent of officers to the National Police Week events for many years. Officer Snyder was the 10th member of the department to be killed on duty since the police force was created in 1955 out of the county sheriff’s office. Prior to Snyder’s death, the last officer killed in the St. Louis County Police Department was Sgt. Richard E. Weinhold, who died on the job on Oct. 31, 2000.

For the department, National Police Week has great meaning, said Wall. “We value tradition here and we are pretty ceremonial. National Police Week is huge for us.”

Also attending the ceremonies with the members of the department will be Officer Snyder’s wife and his brother-in-law, who is also a police officer, said Wall.

“His loss was devastating to the police department,” said Wall. “Most of the officers who are here had gone through 16 years without the death of a fellow officer. A majority of the department had never been through anything like that. It had a big impact.”

St. Louis County, Mo., also held its own Day of Remembrance for fallen officers throughout the county on April 28, Uniform Day, with ceremonies and a memorial breakfast.

During this National Police Week and on this National Peace Officers Memorial Day today, we at VirTra, the judgmental use of force training simulator company, wish to salute and thank the men and women who serve in police departments across our nation every day, putting their lives on the line to protect residents in their communities around the clock.

And to all of the fallen, we honor you and your families on this day and every day.

National Police Week and National Peace Officers Memorial Day were proclaimed in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy and were established by a joint resolution of Congress. National Police Week is principally organized by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the Fraternal Order of Police/Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary and by the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) group.