National Police Week Honors Washington's Fallen Officers

OLYMPIA, WA — Washington State law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty will be honored as part of the annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service. Tens of thousands of law enforcement officers converge on the nation’s capital for the event, which will be held Wednesday, May 15.

The names of local, state and federal law enforcement officers nationwide who died on duty will be read. These Washington officers will be recognized:

Detective Derrick William Focht

• Kent Police Department
• End of Watch: April 7, 2017

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, Focht was investigating a shooting involving two gang members when he began to experience chest pain. The day after the pain began, Focht took a scheduled stress test at hospital and was later found lying unresponsive in the parking lot.

Focht's death in 2017 was later determined to be a line-of-duty death.

"Detective Focht was a U.S. Navy veteran," the memorial page states. "He had served with the Kent Police Department for 20 years and had previously served as a corrections officer with both the King County Sheriff's Office and Grant County Sheriff's Office. He is survived by his wife and two children."

Deputy Sheriff Daniel Alexander McCartney

• Pierce County Sheriff's Department
• End of watch: Jan. 8, 2018

McCartney was mortally wounded during a late-night foot pursuit in Frederickson. After responding to a burglary in progress, McCartney began chasing at least one suspect who opened fire on the deputy.

McCartney was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center where he died less than three hours after he was shot.

"Deputy McCartney was a U.S. Navy veteran," the memorial page states. "He had served with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department for three years and had previously served with the Hoquiam Police Department for six years. He is survived by his wife and three sons."

Police Officer Diego Moreno

• Kent Police Department
• End of Watch: July 22, 2018

Moreno died after he was hit by a Kent police patrol car during a chase along State Route 516. Moreno was reportedly in the act of laying spike strips when another officer inadvertently hit him before crashing into several parked cars.

The driver of the suspect vehicle, which was eventually caught, was later charged with murder for Moreno's death.

Moreno was an eight-year veteran with the Kent Police Department at the time of his death, the memorial page states.

President John F. Kennedy in 1962 designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week as Police Week. The Memorial Service began 20 years later with about 120 survivors and supporters of law enforcement gathering in Senate Park, according to the event’s website. Since then, it has grown to attract up to 40,000 attendees every year.

The event, best known as National Police Week, features a series of events, including seminars and a candlelight vigil.

Here are the events in Puget Sound:

Seattle Police Honor Guard Memorial Ceremony

• May 13, from 8:45 to 9:30 p.m.

Seattle Police Honor Guard Memorial Ceremony

• May 15, from 1 to 2 p.m.

Both events will be held at the SPD West Precinct, located at 810 Virginia Ave. in Seattle.

For additional information, contact SPD Sgt. Truscott at Lauren.Truscott@seattle.gov.

Survivors planning to attend either event should RSVP to Info@WashingtonStateCops.Org.

A 5K race will be held Saturday, the first day of National Police Week, along with the annual police dog memorial service. Sunday events include the Law Enforcement United Bike Ride, the Police Unity Tour and the DC United First Responder Night.

Those events will be followed by a candlelight vigil Monday night on the National Mall and the annual Steve Young National Honor Guard and Pipe Band competitions Tuesday.

The two-hour memorial service will begin around 11 a.m. Wednesday. Annual Tent City events, featuring music, food and adult beverages, will be held Monday through Wednesday at RFK Stadium.

Patch staffers Dan Hampton and Deb Belt contributed to this report.