Every year during the month of May, tens of thousands of people from across the country and around the world make the pilgrimage to Washington, D.C., to take part in National Police Week ceremonies. These events honor peace officer heroes who died while protecting and serving their communities.

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) CEO Bill Alexander notes that attendance during the commemorative week grows each year, a sign that the events continue to resonate with both the law enforcement community and the public, serving as a cathartic way for survivors to process their grief. “I think it really is, and must be, a part of the healing process for families, co-workers and friends who have lost someone near and dear to them. I am convinced that everything related to National Police Week, particularly the Memorial, has been a strong catalyst for healing and coming to grips with their loss,” he explains. “It’s important to recognize that all of us — whether in the profession or connected to it — are working tirelessly to remember, honor and memorialize the men and women who died serving us.”

This year’s memorial events, taking place May 11–17, center around the names of 345 law enforcement officers — 148 who died in the line of duty in 2024 and 197 who died in previous years — who have recently been added to the hallowed walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, bringing the total number of officers honored on the memorial to 24,412.

The names of these heroes were vetted for inclusion on the memorial by members of NLEOMF’s research team and special Names Committee. Each year, they conduct a thorough, 12-month process to determine whether “the person in question was actually a lawfully designated and sworn-in law enforcement officer, and that they were performing law enforcement–related duties at the time they were injured and ultimately died,” Alexander explains.

The process begins when agencies submit an officer data form, which is reviewed by the research team. They then verify the information using death certificates, media reports, information from surviving family members and other sources. A package is compiled with that information and presented for final review to the Names Committee, which is composed of both active and retired police officers who sit on NLEOMF’s board. “Every single person who has a vote has worn the badge and worn a gun before, and they collectively make a decision about every single case,” Alexander says. “It’s a very strict and very thoughtful process to ensure that the names we’re adding to these very sacred walls deserve to be there.”

The names of this year’s honored officers will be formally dedicated during NLEOMF’s 37th annual Candlelight Vigil on May 13. The emotional public gathering historically draws between 25,000 to 30,000 peace officers, survivors and supporters, all holding candles that cast a soft glow across the National Mall as the names of the fallen are recited. “To feel that emotion and to hear those names read aloud really resonates with the crowd — and I hope with the nation,” Alexander says. “This event has become an integral part of National Police Week. I believe it’s part of the healing process — not just seeing your loved one’s name engraved on the wall, but also hearing it read at the vigil.”

In addition to mourning and remembering the fallen, National Police Week is a reminder of the dangers inherent in the law enforcement profession, a time to “recognize that there has been and continues to be a cost in terms of preserving our democracy and keeping our communities safe,” Alexander notes. According to NLEOMF’s 2024 End-of-Year Preliminary Law Enforcement Officers Fatalities Report — which the organization publishes to track the causes behind the tragic outcomes facing men and women in uniform — officer fatalities increased 25% compared to 2023.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths vary widely, but traffic-related incidents — including automobile and motorcycle crashes as well as struck-by fatalities — were among the top causes, representing a staggering 48% increase over 2023. NLEOMF has consistently drawn attention to this issue through its Officer Safety and Wellness pillar, aiming to improve training and awareness through studies like a recent 10-year examination of the risks and rewards of tire-deflation devices and initiatives such as Destination Zero. The latter features an Officer Traffic Safety category that showcases successful programs and best practices from agencies that have improved officer safety, reduced traffic-related injuries or deaths and built a culture centered on proactive traffic safety measures.

“We have really been focusing in on these traffic-related fatalities because we feel like so many of them could have been prevented — perhaps if the officers had been using different tactics, had different training or somehow slowed their internal clock down just a little bit to say, ‘Hey, I’m not sure this risk is worth the potential outcome,’” Alexander explains. “Officers really do put themselves in harm’s way, almost always with the best of intentions, and many times for very heroic intentions. But law enforcement leaders need to find a way to get to those rank-and-file officers and say, sometimes the risk is not worth the perceived benefit.”

In July, NLEOMF will host a traffic-safety symposium at the National Law Enforcement Museum, focusing on strategies to mitigate traffic-related deaths. Topics will include passenger-side approaches during traffic stops, the importance of wearing seatbelts when responding to calls, priority response protocols and the critical need to clear intersections before proceeding through them. “We hope to pass on some part of our knowledge and be part of the conversation, which we hope will save lives,” Alexander says, adding that the symposium coincides with the release of NLEOMF’s 2025 Mid-Year Law Enforcement Fatalities Report, which will more than likely show traffic-related deaths already in the first half of this year.

For those unable to attend National Police Week, NLEOMF hosts National Police Weekend at the end of September, which features various special events and activities honoring law enforcement at the nation’s capital. New this year will be an online auction to raise donations for the organization’s numerous programs and initiatives.

When asked what message he has for American Police Beat readers about National Police Week and his solemn duty to help memorialize the fallen, Alexander shared: “I personally am so thankful, and I know those in the profession are thankful, and I certainly hope and believe that the citizens of this country are thankful for the men and women who, every single day, put on that badge and gun and go out to put themselves in harm’s way — to be the protectors of our democracy, the protectors of the American dream. I’m incredibly grateful for those who are still out there, able and willing to do the job, and I hope the next generation will be just as willing to join their ranks. I’m incredibly humbled to be, in any way, even a small part of this organization, which has always existed to honor our fallen heroes.”

For more information about the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, please visit NLEOMF.org.