Nation to Honor Fallen Officers During National Police Week
Preparations are underway for National Police Week, which occurs from Sunday, May 10 through Saturday, May 16, 2026. National Police Week honors the law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice, along with the families, friends, and colleagues they leave behind.
While ceremonies and observances will take place across the country, the focus is on Washington, DC, where thousands of officers and families from all over the world are expected to attend.
There are a number of events in the nation’s capital.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund will host its 38th annual Candlelight Vigil honoring fallen officers. In 2026, 363 names were added to the Memorial, including 109 officers killed in the line of duty in 2025.
There will be the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S) National Survivors Conference to help families of fallen officers.
And the week culminates with the National Peace Officers Memorial Service on Friday, May 15, at the west front of the U.S. Capitol. The service is hosted by the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).
National Police Week traces its origins to 1962, when President John F. Kennedy signed a law proclaiming May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls National Police Week.
Local Gatherings
While many officers will head to Washington– others will host ceremonies and events in their local communities.
In Hawaii for example, there will be a remembrance ceremony, and the public is invited to attend police station tours.
“Police Week is a somber reminder that the men and women of this department place their lives on the line every shift of every day,” said Police Chief Reed Mahuna of the Hawa’ii Island police department. “Policing is more than a profession, it’s a commitment to serving others, often during their most difficult moments.”
