Each year during National Police Week, thousands gather at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to honor those who gave their lives in service to others. At the heart of this sacred remembrance is the Candlelight Vigil — a moving ceremony where the names of officers added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial are read aloud in solemn tribute.
This year, among those given the profound responsibility of reading those names was Brian Caloiaro, retired police chief of the Lawrence Township (N.J.) Police Department and current senior manager of accreditation at Police1 and Lexipol.
“I am beyond humbled and proud to have been chosen to read the names of those officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the name of their duty,” Caloiaro said ahead of the vigil. “Having served in law enforcement for 28 years, I fully understand the risks and responsibilities that come with wearing the badge. To be entrusted with the honor of speaking the names of our fallen brothers and sisters is deeply meaningful to me — both personally and professionally.”
Held during Police Week and hosted by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), the 37th annual Candlelight Vigil honored 345 fallen officers. Among them were 148 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024, as well as 197 officers who died in prior years but whose sacrifices were only recently verified.
“Standing before the crowd and reading the names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty was one of the most emotional and humbling experiences of my life,” Caloiaro reflected afterward. “Each name carried a story of courage, service and love — and seeing the survivors in the audience, hearing their stories and sharing quiet moments with them in the days leading up to the vigil made it all profoundly personal.”
To the families of the fallen, Caloiaro had this message: “Your loved ones did not die in vain. They are gone but never forgotten. We got this from here.”
