WASHINGTON — On the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, law enforcement officers, families of the fallen and national leaders gathered for the 44th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service to honor officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.
The solemn ceremony, hosted by the Fraternal Order of Police, marked National Peace Officers Memorial Day, a tradition established by President John F. Kennedy in 1962. The 2025 service paid tribute to 345 officers whose names were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
Vice President JD Vance delivered the keynote address, recognizing the sacrifice made by those who chose a career in law enforcement despite its inherent risks.
“These men and women chose their careers not for enrichment or self-exaltation,” Vance said. “They woke up each and every morning. They put on their uniforms. They said goodbye to their loved ones. And they stepped into the unknown.”
Among the officers remembered was St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer David Lee, who was struck and killed by an impaired driver while assisting at a crash scene.
“He died as he lived, serving others tirelessly without fail,” Vance said, noting Officer Lee left behind a wife and two children.
The vice president also honored Deputy Fernando Esqueda of the Harris County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, who was ambushed and killed while investigating a violent assault, and Special Deputy Sheriff Larry Henderson of Hamilton County, Ohio, who was intentionally struck and killed by a vehicle while directing traffic.
“To the families and friends of our fallen officers — your loss is our nation’s loss. Your grief is our grief,” Vance said. “Their names will never be forgotten, nor will their heroic act of service which inspire our nation and fill us with great purpose.”
The service opened with a presentation of colors by the Honor Guard and a prayer from Chaplain Rick Snyder of the National FOP. “They kept your word by showing a love no greater than this — than one who would lay down their life for a friend,” Snyder said in his invocation. “But your word, God, stands forever and ever.”
FOP National President Patrick Yoes addressed the crowd of officers, dignitaries and survivors. He reflected on the growth of the event from its beginnings in 1982, when roughly 100 people gathered at Senate Park, to the tens of thousands now attending.
“Law enforcement is not a simple job. It’s a calling,” Yoes said. “It’s a choice to stand between good and evil, between danger and safety, and between order and chaos.”
Behind each name etched in stone, he added, is a personal story — and a family forever changed.
“They are not statistics. They’re not headlines. They are mothers and fathers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, partners and friends,” Yoes said. “These white chairs before us represent far more than just a place to sit. They represent families forever changed, dreams interrupted, empty seats at dinner tables and milestones that will be missed.”
President Donald Trump, who was overseas during the event, sent a prerecorded video message that played during the service. In his remarks, he honored the officers who made the “supreme sacrifice” in the line of duty, calling them “some of the great and very best among us.” He noted that 147 officers died in the line of duty in 2024 and expressed support for law enforcement families. “We will honor their sacrifice for all time, and their loved ones will always have our infinite gratitude and unyielding support,” Trump said. The former president also shared that the White House would be illuminated in blue that evening in remembrance of the fallen.
The service concluded with a moment of silence and the traditional reading of the names of the fallen.
“Let us continue to live lives worthy of the sacrifice made by our fallen,” Yoes said. “Let their legacy be the light that guides our path forward.”
