Today is National Peace Officers Memorial Day!

Peace Officers Memorial Day is a national observance that pays tribute to the peace officers from across the nation that have been killed in the line of duty. The holiday takes place on May 15 each year.

The holiday was created on October 1, 1961, when Congress asked the president to designate May 15 to honor slain peace officers. President John F Kennedy signed the bill into law on October 1, 1962. Amended in 1994, President Bill Clinton, through Public Law 103-322, directed that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff on May 15 each year--although if you look around as you travel today, you will see that few flags will be lowered in accordance with this federal law .

According to a proclamation by President George W. Bush in 2002:

"Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week (the week in which May 15 falls) pay tribute to the local, State, and federal law enforcement officers who serve and protect us with courage and dedication. These observances also remind us of the ongoing need to be vigilant against all forms of crime, especially to acts of extreme violence and terrorism."

Much of the holiday centers on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington, D.C., whose walls feature the names of the nearly 19,000 law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty. The memorial is purposely located at the entrance/exit to the Judiciary Square Metro (subway) station--forcing thousands of people to walk past the names of the fallen officers each day due to the station being one of the busiest stations in the DC subway system. Here in Connecticut, we have a memorial on the grounds of the Connecticut Police Academy in Meriden that honors the names of all police officers killed in the line of duty in our state. Several local police departments also maintain their own memorials and hold their own services each year to remember the fallen officers from their agencies.

In honor of today's special meaning, I offer you the late Paul Harvey's report: "What is a Policeman"