Hicksville, NY (N.Y. Fraternal Order of Police Headquarters)

The New York State Fraternal Order of Police Grand Lodge, located on Long Island, held its memorial dedication on Monday, May 11th.

The wall, as it stands outside the entrance to the NYFOP Grand Lodge. The engraving reads "Dedicated to those law enforcement officers in New York State who have made the supreme sacrifice."
The roses seen in the picture were placed by family members and co-workers of fallen officers. Local names engraved on the wall this past May include those of Officer Jason Conklin, d.o.d. 8/21/97 (Tuxedo Park PD) and Trooper Nathaniel Burroughs, d.o.d. 2/14/97 (NY State Police, Wurtsboro Barracks).

Washington D.C.

The 10th Annual Candlelight Vigil was held at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on May 13.  Sponsored by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), the event began at 8pm at the Memorial, located at Judiciary Square, on the 400 block of E Street NW. A reading of the names newly engraved on the Memorial immediately followed the ceremony.

The National Police Survivors' Seminars, sponsored by the Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) were held on May 14 and May 16.  Seminars were held for adult survivors of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, while surviving children participated in "C.O.P.S. Kids" activities. These programs were held at the Radisson Plaza Hotel at Mark Center in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police hosted the 17th Annual National Peace Officers' Memorial Day Service on May 15.  The ceremony was at 1pm on the west front of the United States Capital. Speakers Included Attorney General Janet Reno and Vice President Al Gore. Names of Fallen officers were read and family members placed red and white carnations on a memorial wreath, which was later transported to the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

I must say that participating in National Police Week activities was unbelievable. On the first night, we were all transported in Shortline buses from the hotel to the memorial, and police closed down part of the Washington D.C. freeway to escort us. Another memorable event occured the day of the memorial service when we all walked onto the lawn of the Capitol building.  As soon as we all exited the buses, we were escorted down a path lined with hundreds upon hundreds of police officers from across the country who had come to honor their fallen brother and sister officers. During the service, surviving family and friends sat before a large memorial wreath, and survivors approached the wreath when their loved ones' names were called, and placed red carnations into the wreath.

The wall itself was breathtaking. The names of approximately 15,000 fallen U.S. police officers are inscribed on its whitish-grey marble walls, which stand about chest high. After the newly-inscribed names were read off at the candlelight vigil, family members and friends were often seen placing pictures, flowers, wreaths, and police patches by the names of their loved ones.
As seen in this photo, Elisa Hirth sits by the name of Officer Jason Conklin, which was read at the May 13th Candlelight vigil, and again at the May 15th Memorial service.

This May 17th ceremony, held at the Rockland County Courthouse in New City, NY, honored all fallen officers who either lived in Rockland County or worked in Rockland County. This year, the name of Jason Conklin was added to the memorial.