National Police Week 2024: What to Expect During the Observance

Next week marks National Police Week, and law enforcement officers who have lost their lives will be honored Monday at the Annual Candlelight Vigil 

The vigil, which includes the reading of the names of fallen of law enforcement officers by high-ranking government officials and others, will take place at 8 p.m. on the National Mall.  Go to nleomf.org for more information.

Activities for National Police Week begin this weekend with Saturday's National Police K-9 Memorial Service at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. Sunday sees the arrival of both Law Enforcement United and the Police Unity Tour.

• RELATED: Officer Roll Call: A Look at National Police Week 2024 and It's Significance

Here's a look at some of the other events for the week:

Tuesday

Annual Steve Young National Honor Guard Competition and Pipe Band Competition: 8 a.m. at the U.S. Capitol Building Reflecting Pool.

Wednesday

National Peace Officers' Memorial Service: Noon on the West Front of the Capitol. Sponsored by the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police and the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary, the service mainly honors officers who recently died in the line of duty.

Go to the National Police Week website for more information about what's going on.

National Police Week's history goes back to 1962 when President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. The memorial service began in 1982 and its growth over the decades is bittersweet; while the outpouring of support is inspiring, it's still heartbreaking to see the number of fallen officers grow. 

Listen to the latest episode of OFFICER Magazine's Officer Roll Call podcast to hear more about National Police Week events and their significance.