Fallen Law Enforcement Officers to be Honored During 34th Annual Candlelight Vigil on May 13 in Washington, D.C.

News provided by

National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund

Apr 13, 2022, 10:30 ET

2022 Roll Call of Heroes to honor 619 line-of-duty fatalities, 472 from 2021—the most ever to be added to the Memorial walls from one year

WASHINGTON, April 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has formally announced that there are 619 names of U.S. law enforcement officers being added to the memorial this year who have died in the line of duty. The names will be engraved and properly dedicated on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial during the 34th Annual Candlelight Vigil held on the National Mall between 4th and 7th streets in Washington, DC, at 8:00 pm on May 13, 2022.

The 2022 "Roll Call of Heroes" features the names of official Line-of-Duty Fallen Heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice. 472 officers who were killed during 2021 (of which 319 fatalities were COVID-19-related), are the most to ever be added to the memorial in one single year. An additional 147 officers died in previous years (before 2021), whose sacrifice had not been previously documented, until the Memorial Fund's research staff and a team of dedicated volunteers confirmed their record of law enforcement service.

Each May 13, during National Police Week, an estimated 30,000 people attend the Candlelight Vigil ceremony in Washington, D.C., including surviving family members, friends, law enforcement colleagues, and others. Due to the pandemic, this year's ceremony will be the first held in a traditional setting since 2019, bringing people together again from across the country to honor the officers, and to be surrounded by strength in remembering their service and ultimate sacrifice.

With these additions, there will now be 23,229 officers' names engraved on the Memorial, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, federal law enforcement, and military police agencies.

"The names of the 619 fallen officers going on the memorial this year is a solemn reminder that each day is fragile, and that officers risk their lives daily so that we all may live safer together," said Marcia Ferranto, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. "The ultimate sacrifice put forth by these brave men and women will never be forgotten."

The engraving process begins with a lengthy stencil and proofing procedure followed by meticulous engraving and curing processes. Once the engraving and curing process is finished, the covers are removed, and the panel is completed. The utmost care is taken not only in vetting and authenticating each name, but also to ensure that each is engraved on the memorial to the degree that the integrity is forever maintained. The engraving process is expected to be completed by the end of April.

The names of the 619 officers added to the National Memorial this year can be found at the Roll Call of Heroes, 2022. For a complete schedule of National Police Week events in Washington, DC, visit www.LawMemorial.org/PoliceWeek.

Attention media: If you are interested in attending and covering this year's Candlelight Vigil, all credentialing information can be found here. If more than one credential is needed, please submit the form on the landing page for each individual who will be present at the ceremony.

For information on the National Law Enforcement Memorial please visit nleomf.org/memorial/. For media inquiries, please contact Matt Lund at 443-983-0215.

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About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the fallen, telling the story of American law enforcement, and making it safer for those who serve. The Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., which honors the names of all of the 23,229 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The National Law Enforcement Museum at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building is committed to preserving the history of American law enforcement and sharing the experiences of service and sacrifice for generations to come.

SOURCE National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund