Beginning May 11, thousands of officers will be traveling to the Washington, D.C. area for Police Week. There they’ll take part in ceremonies ranging from charity runs to the annual candlelight ceremony held on the grounds of the National Memorial.
As in years past, Law Officer will be there and this year, we’re going to bring Below 100 training along with us. Working with the folks at Officer Down Memorial Page (www.ODMP.org) and the National Crime and Punishment Museum (www.CrimeMuseum.org), we’ll be offering Below 100 training in the heart of the capital. The training will take place on May 14 at the museum, which is located just a half block from the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro stop.
The museum is a unique facility that houses the studio once used by America’s Most Wanted. It’s a great place to visit and will be a unique venue for Below 100 training. The museum has some incredible exhibits, and they’re always a favorite stop during Police Week. For more information on the Below 100 training, visit www.Below100.com/events.
Also, our good friends at Officer Down Memorial Page are helping out with two major events this year: the Law Enforcement United bike ride (400 officers riding 240 miles) and the Police Week 5-K run occurring on May 12. Visit www.ODMP.org for more information—even if you don’t bike or run, you should plan on being on hand to welcome the riders and runners who made the effort to honor our fallen.
As they have done in years past, Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) will be hosting the Police Survivors Conference. There are multiple sessions designed to help families and coworkers deal with line-of-duty losses. Visit www.NationalCops.org to learn more.
If you can’t make it to Washington DC this year, make sure you take the time to participate in regional or state memorial ceremonies taking place in your area. These events can be tough to attend, but they’re absolutely necessary. We must honor and mourn every loss. Just as importantly, we must strive to learn from them.