National Police Week falls on May 9–15, 2027. Officers, families and the public gather in Washington and hometowns to honor police who died on duty.
The Week of May 15
Every year in mid-May, during the calendar week of May 15, Peace Officers Memorial Day. The week starts on Sunday and ends on Saturday.
President John F. Kennedy proclaimed it in 1962, and Congress made it official by joint resolution the same year.
A 1962 Proclamation
Kennedy’s order named May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day, honoring officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. It set “the calendar week in which May 15 falls” as National Police Week.
Over time it grew into a multi-day gathering in Washington, and several groups now share the work.
NLEOMF, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, produces the Candlelight Vigil. The Fraternal Order of Police leads the memorial service at the U.S. Capitol on May 15.
Concerns of Police Survivors, a support group for families, holds its national survivors’ conference during the week.
Known as C.O.P.S., the group formed in 1984 with 110 members. It now counts more than 87,000 survivors in 53 chapters.
C.O.P.S. programs include a summer camp for children of fallen officers and retreats for spouses, parents and co-workers. Survivors also get peer support and scholarships.
Honoring the Fallen
Names are added every spring, engraved in April. In 2026, NLEOMF added 363 names to the memorial wall in Washington, D.C.
Of those, 109 officers died in 2025. The other 254 died in earlier years and were identified through research.
With the additions, the memorial lists 24,775 officers who died in the line of duty.
On the Mall, the 2026 vigil filled the space between 4th and 7th Streets, starting at 8 p.m.
That vigil is the week’s emotional center. About 30,000 people attend each year, and the 38th vigil took place on May 13, 2026, on the National Mall.
NLEOMF’s CEO, William Alexander, said the officers’ “bravery and dedication leave a lasting mark on our nation.”
Line-of-duty deaths fell sharply in 2025. NLEOMF’s preliminary count found 111, down 25% from 148 in 2024.
Firearms were the leading cause, with 44 deaths. Traffic incidents killed 34 officers, and other causes, including health-related deaths, accounted for 33.
A typical year is far worse. C.O.P.S. puts the usual toll at 140 to 160 officers.
It was a near-historic low. The last comparable year was 1943, when 94 officers were killed.
Alexander credited “the continued adoption of proven best practices” for the drop.
Flags come down on May 15. Federal law asks the president to order flags at half-staff on government buildings that day, and invites everyone else to join.
How to Take Part
Most people mark the week from home. Many local departments hold their own memorials, often with the names of local officers read aloud.
- Attend a local police memorial service, or watch the national vigil online from home.
- Visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial if you’re in Washington.
- Lower your flag to half-staff for Peace Officers Memorial Day.
- Send a note to your local department honoring an officer from your area.
- Support groups that help families of fallen officers, such as C.O.P.S. and its children’s camp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is National Police Week an official observance?
Yes. Congress established it by joint resolution, and presidents proclaim it.
Where is the memorial?
At 444 E Street NW, in the nation’s capital.
Is May 15 always part of Police Week?
Always. The week is built around that date.
Who organizes the Capitol service?
A national police union and its auxiliary.
Sources
- National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund – National Police Week
- NLEOMF – Fallen officers to be honored during the 38th Candlelight Vigil (2026)
- NLEOMF – 2025 year-end officer fatalities report
- Legal Information Institute – 36 U.S. Code § 136, Peace Officers Memorial Day
- Concerns of Police Survivors – Our Story