Honoring And Remember Our Fallen Law Enforcement Officers

RIVERSIDE, IL – Again, this year, communities across the United States will honor and remember those law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice and the family members, friends, and fellow officers they left behind.

This year, the names of 345 officers killed in the line of duty are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. These 345 officers include 148 officers who were killed during 2024, plus 197 officers who died in previous years, but whose stories of sacrifice had been lost to history until now.

The fallen officers include 10 members of the law enforcement community in Illinois. This number consists of all deaths, gunshots, and traffic crashes.

Former Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel stated, "In 2024, a total of 10 police officers were killed in the line of duty in Illinois. This number places Illinois as the fourth-highest state for law enforcement fatalities in 2024. As a National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund Ambassador for Illinois, I am committed to ensuring the safety of our officers. I will work tirelessly to eliminate line-of-duty deaths nationwide, not only in Illinois, through education, training, legislation, and officer wellness."

The names of all 345 fallen officers nationwide will be formally dedicated during the 37th Annual Candlelight Vigil to be held on the National Mall in Washington, DC, at 8:00 pm EDT on May 13, 2025.

For more information, go to https://nleomf.org/memorial/pr... police-week-2025/candlelight-vigil/
For more information about National Police Week, please visit
https://nleomf.org/memorial/pr...