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On October 1, 1962 President Kennedy signed a law designating May 15 as Peace Officer's Memorial Day, and the calendar week in which it falls as National Police Week.  The law was amended in 1994 under President Clinton requiring the flag on government buildings to flown at half-mast every year on May 15.  Tomorrow morning, an estimated 40,000+ people will attend a Memorial Service on the west lawn of the US Capitol honoring the officers who died in 2017.

On October 15, 1991 President George H. W. Bush dedicated the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.  The Memorial sits on approximately three acres of federal land in Washington, DC in what is known as Judiciary Square.  Located at the Memorial site are two curving 304 feet long granite walls, with the names of more than 21,000 law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty in our Nation's history, including 360 new names added in 2018.  This includes the 129 officers who died in 2017, and 231 newly discovered names from years past.  

As an aside, the FBI LEOKA Division(Law Enforcement Officers Killed or Assaulted) released a publication reporting that 118 officers died in the line of duty in 2016.  66 of those died as a result of a felonious act against them.  The remaining 52 were determined to be accidental.  Also in 2016, 57,180 officers were assaulted with 16,535 resulting in injuries.  

This year will mark the ninth anniversary of the death of Nags Head Police Sergeant Earl Murray who was killed when his patrol car lost control during bad weather conditions.  He was responding to a burglary in progress and wrecked within a few feet of the US 158 entrance to Nags Head Elementary School.  He died May 15, 2009.

In the addition to Earl, who was a great friend, I had the honor of personally knowing four other officers whose names are engraved on the Memorial walls.  I have included a link with a short bio of each below.  

During Police Week we are required to wear a "mourning band" on our badge to honor all officers who have made the greatest sacrifice in the service of their fellow citizens, right here on our own streets, and in our own communities, including four here in Dare County.  So, if you see the band on my badge, you know the reason for it.  I've already been asked by a few kids, which is perfectly fine.

Here are the links to the officers I mentioned earlier, if you'd like to look at them.

Trooper David H Dees, North Carolina Highway Patrol. Prior to him joining the Highway Patrol, I had the opportunity to work with him at the Dare County Sheriff's Office.

https://www.odmp.org/officer/15237-trooper-david-harold-dees

Patrolman Francis D "Frankie" Hemilright, Southern Shores Police.  Frankie died after responding to a very large fight at the Port O Call restaurant.

https://www.odmp.org/officer/15348-patrolman-francis-duon-hemilright

Captain Jimmy D "Doug" Sawyer, North Carolina Marine Patrol.  Capt. Sawyer was in charge of this district of the NCMP.  He would visit Hatteras Island often when I was stationed there as Dare Co Deputy.  He was always up for a good lunch.

https://www.odmp.org/officer/16425-captain-jimmy-douglas-sawyer

Detective Ricky "Allen" Pearson, Jr.  Lenoir County Sheriff's Office.  I had the opportunity to work with Allen for a while during Hurricane Isabel recovery efforts in Chowan County.  He was killed only a couple of miles from my family's farm outside of Kinston, NC.

https://www.odmp.org/officer/16425-captain-jimmy-douglas-sawyer

Sergeant Dulan "Earl" Murray, Jr.  Nags Head Police Department.  He was as good an officer as he was a friend.  I miss him dearly.

https://www.odmp.org/officer/19944-sergeant-dulan-earl-murray-jr

by Shane Allen