Governor Ralph Northam has issued a proclamation declaring May 12–18, 2019, as Virginia Police Week, and May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day in the Commonwealth.
Both National Police Week and National Peace Officers Memorial Day have been recognized every year since 1962, when President John F. Kennedy signed the first proclamation to honor the men and women who work to protect our communities, often at great personal sacrifice.
“I am proud to recognize the brave and selfless service of Virginia’s law enforcement officers who face countless risks in the line of duty each and every day,” said Governor Northam. “In observing Virginia Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day, we also honor the memories of fallen officers and express our gratitude for the tremendous sacrifices made by officers and their families in order to protect our communities and ensure our Commonwealth remains a safe place to live, work, and raise a family.”
“Law enforcement is a challenging and often dangerous profession,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian J. Moran. “We are proud of the men and women in Virginia who make this daily sacrifice to ensure our safety, and I encourage all Virginians to take a moment this week and thank these courageous officers.”
There are approximately 22,500 men and women serving as law enforcement officers in Virginia. In 2018, one Virginia law enforcement officer died in the line of duty and over 1,400 were victims of offenses ranging from a simple assault to aggravated assault.*
*Statistics generated from the VA UCR files that the Department of Criminal Justice Services Research Center receives from the Virginia State Police and from the Officer Down Memorial Page.
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