National Police Week

[FromDeepWithin]

In case some you didn't know last week was National Police Week. Here is how a group of SF members deployed paid their respects to our fellow brothers in blue.

Deployed Airmen honor fallen police officersby Tech. Sgt. Brian Davidson
447th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Security Forces Airmen gathered near the flightline at the International Airport here shortly after dawn to honor and remember fellow police officers who died in the line of duty, including military police officers who gave their lives defending freedom in military operations around the world.

The ceremony was part of National Police Week, and coincides with a candlelight vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial in Washington D.C. It began with posting of the colors, followed by the flag being lowered to half-staff in accordance with Public Law 103-322. The law was signed by President William Jefferson Clinton in 1994 and requires the flag be flown as such to honor police officers who gave their lives protecting others.

More than 100 Airmen stood in formation listening as the names of 156 law enforcement officers that died in the line of duty during 2004 were read.

Security Forces member Senior Airman Brian Mitchem, deployed from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., served as master of ceremonies and put the number of law enforcement officers who died in the past year in perspective.

“One police officer lost their life every 57 hours for the protection of a perfect stranger,” he said. “The name of each officer is placed on the memorial, which includes more than 17,000 names and dates back to the first recorded death of a police officer.”

The tradition of honoring fallen officers began with the signing of Public Law 87-726 in Oct. 1962, where President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 of each year as Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, "in honor of the Federal, State, and municipal officers who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty.”

The calendar week of May 15 each year is National Police Week, "in recognition of the service given by the men and women who, night and day, stand guard in our communities and the people of the United States to observe such day and week with appropriate ceremonies and activities," President Kennedy proclaimed.

Airman Mitchem told the story of 18 Security Forces Airmen who died in a helicopter crash near the Thia-Laotion border while on their way to aid in the recovery of the S.S. Mayaguez.

He also recalled the death of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Special Agent Rick Albright, who died from wounds received during a mortar attack at Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq, on Aug. 8, 2004.

The memorial ceremony concluded with the folding of the flag, which will be presented to Agent Albright’s family.