Protected Citizens,
Today, we remember the heroes who lost their lives while on duty as officials of law enforcement. Today is National Police Officer Day, the official day of observation within National Police Week—is also sometimes referred to as National Peace Officer Week to be inclusive of all law enforcement officials. 
Sworn to protect and to serve us, police officers put their lives on the line in order to maintain public order and put a stop to crimes. They hold authority to arrest and detain deviant individuals in order to uphold public safety. Unfortunately, just in performing the duties of their jobs, some policemen and policewomen end up paying the ultimate price.
Whether you knew them or not, today is a day to remember those who were killed. There are many ways that communities and individuals can demonstrate their remembrance. Here are a few ideas on how you can play a role in memorializing those who have fallen in the line of duty.
Observe a Moment of Silence.
Setting a little time aside during the school day or even just alone in your room can be very helpful to all participants. With silence comes peace.
Fly the Flag at Half-Staff.
Flags are flown at half-staff to commemorate the deaths of ranking officers.
See the Names of the Victims.
You can see a list of the names of the officers who lost their lives in the last year if that's something you'd like to look into. This is a difficult list on which to focus, but it’s important that these names are remembered.
Honoring the Heroes.
The bravery of the men and women who risk their lives to uphold the peace and safety that we enjoy everyday will never be forgotten as our heroes are honored and loved ones remembered on this day of observance.
National Police Week sees a number of events in Washington D.C. every year like the annual Blue Mass Candlelight Vigil, a Wreath-Laying Ceremony, the National Police Survivors Conference, the Honor Guard Competition, as well as the Emerald Society & Pipe Band March/Service. There are 25,000 to 40,000 law enforcement officers and their families take part in these events every year.
Honor the fallen officers in whatever way you can today and, as always, thank you for reading.
- John