34 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: JULY 2017 T his year the 29th Annual Candle- light Vigil hon- ored 394 Fallen peace officers at the National Law Enforce- ment Officers Memorial. Attorney General Jeff Ses- sions lead the lighting of candles and reading of fallen officers’ names; including 143 officers killed in the line of duty in 2016 and 251 that happened in prior years. This was followed by poi- gnant remarks from Home- land Security Secretary John Kelly. The Attorney General began the reading of the fallen officers’ names. Later in the program Attorney General Sessions and Con- cerns of Police Survivors National President Brenda Donner led the lighting of candles. The Candlelight Vigil — an annual tribute to our nation’s law enforcement officers — has become a sig- nature event of the National Police Week observance in the nation’s capital. The evening’s program also featured moving musi- cal tributes and a special recognition of survivors of fallen officers. The event concluded with the lighting of candles and a dramatic blue light show. In addition to the 143 of- ficers who died in 2016, the names of 251 officers, who died in prior years, were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Me- morial this spring. The national monument now contains the names of 21,183 fallen law enforce- ment officers — from all 50 states, the District of Colum- bia, U.S. territories, federal, corrections, railroad, and military police agencies — who died in the perfor- mance of duty throughout U.S. history, dating back to the first known officer death in 1791. “We gather tonight on the National Mall, under the shadows of two of this city’s most recognizable monu- ments, joined by the need and desire, the privilege, to honor the 21,183 names on the sacred Memorial walls,” said Craig Floyd, president & CEO of the Memorial Fund. “We dedicate the names of the 394 officers added this year to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, recognizing the sacrifices these men and women made to protect their country and communi- ties.” An estimated 30,000 peo- ple attended the ceremony in person, including surviv- ing family members, friends, law enforcement colleagues, and others. Thousands more participated via a live web- cast of the ceremony pro- vided by the Memorial Fund and Officer.com. Supporters dedicated virtual candles participating in the Memo- rial Fund’s United By Light campaign, with viewing events hosted across the country. For the fourth year, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund also partnered with Clear Chan- nel Outdoor and iHeartRa- dio to raise awareness across the country by honoring these fallen officers, as well as raise awareness about the annual Candlelight Vigil and United By Light virtual candle wall. Clear Channel Outdoor displayed beautiful tributes to these officers and the virtual candle wall while iHeartRadio ran public ser- vice announcements across more than 850 stations to help raise awareness for the campaign and National Police Week. In tribute to American law enforcement officers, as part of the historic crime bill that President Clinton signed into law in 1994, Pub- lic Law 103-322 designates Peace Officers Memorial Day (May 15) as one of only two days each year during which government agencies, businesses and residents are to fly their U.S. flags at half- staff. The other is Memorial Day. On May 12, 2017, the Police Unity Tour (PUT) arrived at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial after pedaling hundreds of miles over three days to honor fallen law enforcement officers. Thousands welcomed the participants at the Memorial, where PUT leadership presented a check for $2.6 million dollars. More than 30,000 people attended the 29th annual Candlelight Vigil this year. A Solemn Time to Honor Our Heroes A Solemn Time to Honor Our Heroes P o l i c e W e e k 2 0 1 7