Preparing For Police Week 2002

While May 15th is proclaimed as ‘Peace Officer’s Memorial Day’ by Act of Congress and the week of May 12-18, 2002 is set aside as National Police Week, the horrific tragedies of September 11th, 2001 will have a marked impact on the activities planned for all family survivors this May at the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum.

A Special Time
If there is any year when we should ‘go the extra mile’ to pay homage to our profession, and the families of law enforcement officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, it is, by all means this year...and this special time in May. I would urge each of the 780,000 men and women who are law enforcement officers in city, state and federal agencies to get involved in their local communities to ensure that Police Week 2002 is the most significant Police Week ever! Here at the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum, we will conduct our 42nd annual ceremony. This year we have added a special grief counseling session to our Police Week events. This session, which is restricted strictly to family survivors, will be hosted by Dr. Sara Long, noted clinical psychologist from New York, Tuesday, May 14th at the host hotel, Miami’s Biscayne Bay Marriott between 2-4 PM. Survivors may preregister for this session, as well as other planned events by using the form which was mailed to you or by using the form provided in the upcoming newsletter. (Survivors who have replied by the mail invitation do not have to respond using the form in the newsletter).

Publicity for the Law Enforcement Profession
If police officers, family survivors, members and donors all become involved, our voices will be heard as one! Until the tragic events of last September, so many citizens were not aware of the risk that law enforcement officers take “24/7”. It becomes our task to ensure that this heightened awareness of our profession does not wane as the months go by following the tragedies of last fall.

Invitations Have Been Sent
We have invited all of our members and the families of all officers killed in the line of duty to attend the ceremonies on Wednesday, May 15th. The ceremony will include the reading of new names of officers killed in the line of duty during the last calendar year as well as a tribute to all law enforcement officers who protect and serve nationwide.

For Family Survivors
For our out of town family survivors, we provide payment for their hotel rooms and meals while they are guests here. We waive these fees for up to two guests per officer honored in fairness to all survivors. Funding is made available from the many generous donors to the AFP&CC Police Family Survivor’s Fund. You are encouraged to attend our Police Week activities at the Police Hall of Fame in Miami, Florida. Additional guests are provided a special rate at the hotel which we have made available.

Members of any police department or agency or other visitors are admitted free to the American Police Hall of Fame on May 15th in honor of Police Memorial Day.

Awards Banquet
The awards banquet, being held at the Biscayne Bay Marriott Hotel on Tuesday, May 14th at 7 P.M., is $35 per person. The banquet is free to award recipients and family survivors as noted above. If each of us flew the flag at half mast or wore the black stripe on our badges or displayed the Police Memorial Flag, you can see how one act multiplied 780,000 times would affect the nation in a positive way.

If each police agency sent flowers to the memorial from the department, or lowered their flag to half mast, or displayed a black ribbon from the police car — or if every family displayed the blue light decal such as shown on page 5 of the upcoming newsletter on their car, it would truly make a difference.

This is also the perfect time to make awards for valor or service from the American Police Hall of Fame to police officers or to citizens who have given much to the law enforcement community.

The bottom line is to make your voice heard during Police Week, 2002. When we all make an effort in a positive light it truly is one voice for the law enforcement community.