Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Memphis, TN – Attorney General Sessions and U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local and tribal police officers during National PoliceWeek.

"One officer death is too many," Attorney General Sessions said. "While we are inexpressibly grateful to have had a decrease in the number of officers killed in the line-of-duty last year, the number is still far too high. At the Department of Justice, we honor the memories of the fallen and we pray for their families. We are also following President Trump’s Executive Order to back the women and men in blue, to enhance law enforcement safety, and to reduce violent crime in America. Those priories will help keep every American safe, including those who risk their lives for us. As always, we have their backs and they have our thanks."

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Law enforcement officers are society’s problem solvers when no other solution is apparent or available. These brave men and women run toward danger as we all run away, in order to protect us. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to serve alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in order to enforce the rule of law and promote public safety. We honor the memory of those officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, and we thank them for their valor which gives us hope for a safer America."

According to statistics collected by the FBI, 93 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2017 – a 21 percent decrease from 2016 when 118 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents.

Additionally, in 2017, there were 46 law enforcement officers killed in line-of-duty incidents because of felonious acts – this is a 30 percent decrease from 2016 when 66 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents because of felonious acts.

For the full comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narrative describing the fatal attacks and selected assaults resulting in injury, please see the 2017 edition of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report.

In October 1962, Congress passed and President Kennedy signed a joint resolution declaring May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.

During Police Week, which is observed from Sunday, May 13 to Saturday, May 19, 2018, our nation celebrates the contributions of police officers from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe.

For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.

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