The Law Enforcement Memorial is located within Judicial Square in Washington D.C. The memorial is encircled by two walls that bear the names of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. I was sorting through some of the pictures I took while attending the National Academy last spring and thought now would be a good time to share this experience with you.
Pictures of both memorial walls
The center of the memorial is designed as the picture above shows. These photos were taken during a memorial service held after my arrival the first week of April 2004 at the FBI National Academy.
Memorial services involve the playing of bag pipes, a tradition that goes back to the beginnings of policing with a strong European influence, specifically from Great Britain.
Several blocks away from the memorial, there is a center that houses pictures and histories of those officers killed in the line of duty. It is a temporary location housed in the AARP Office Building. A permanent structure will soon be built to provide expanded space for more displays and information.
The experience of visitng the memorial and visitor’s center is moving, no matter how many times I return to visit. During National Law Enforcement Memorial Week each May, tens of thousands of law enforcement officials from around the United States as well as international colleagues come to Washington to participate in memorial services. If you get the opportunity to visit Washington in the future, I would recommend a visit to the memorial. There is a Metro stop on the memorial grounds and the site is accessible by bus or vehicle.