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WASHINGTON — Families, law enforcement leaders and officers gathered at the U.S. Capitol on May 15 for the 45th annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service, a solemn ceremony honoring fallen law enforcement officers and the loved ones they left behind.
May 15 is recognized as Peace Officers Memorial Day, established after President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 proclamation designating the date and the surrounding week as a time to honor officers killed in the line of duty.
Glenda Lehman, national president of the Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary, opened the service by recognizing the families, colleagues and communities impacted by line-of-duty deaths.
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“We know that this is not an easy day,” Lehman said. “We know that you carry a weight that words can never fully lift.”
This year’s National Police Week observances included the addition of 363 names to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, including 109 officers who died in the line of duty in 2025 and 254 officers whose sacrifices were confirmed from previous years.
The ceremony also featured a performance from country music artist Thomas Mac, whose song “Fighting for America” paid tribute to military members, first responders and law enforcement officers who risk their lives in service to others.
Vice President JD Vance delivered the keynote address, telling surviving families that their loved ones’ sacrifices would not be forgotten.
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“It is the greatest honor that I could possibly have as your vice president to come here and say to these beautiful families, ‘Thank you. And I’m sorry,’” Vance said. “From the bottom of my heart, speaking for all the American people — Democrat, Republican and independent — we love you. We’re grateful to you.”
Highlighting fallen officers’ stories
Throughout his remarks, Vance highlighted several officers killed in the line of duty over the past year.
He spoke about Lorain, Ohio, Officer Phillip Wagner, an eight-year law enforcement veteran and Marine Corps veteran who was killed during what Vance described as a “cowardly ambush attack” in July 2024.
Wagner and another officer were sitting in a patrol vehicle when a gunman opened fire. A third responding officer was also ambushed. Wagner later died from his injuries.
“He did nothing other than do his job and a coward opened fire on him,” Vance said.
Officer Down Memorial Page
Vance also honored Maui County Police Officer Suzanne O, who was killed while responding to reports of an armed suspect in August 2024. He noted that she had previously been recognized for her response efforts during the 2023 Hawaii wildfires.
“She laid down her life in defense of the people that she loved and served every single day,” Vance said.
Officer Down Memorial Page
The vice president also recognized three Pennsylvania officers — Detective Mark Baker, Detective Isaiah Emanizer and Detective Sgt. Cody Becker of the Northern York County Regional Police Department — who were killed while serving an arrest warrant in September 2024.
Vance said the suspect ambushed the officers while they attempted to protect a woman who had been threatened and stalked.
“These officers decided to do something about it,” Vance said. “When they moved to protect her and carry out their duty, they were met with a brutal ambush from this coward.”
Across the three officers, Vance noted they represented nearly 60 years of law enforcement experience.
“When I look at these white chairs here in the front rows, what I see is dozens of stories,” he said. “Dozens of brave people, dozens of family members.”
Officer Down Memorial Page
“But I want you to know, from the entire United States of America, from our fellow citizens and the family members of all American people, we love you. We’re thankful for you. We’re sorry for what you sacrificed, but we will never forget what your officer laid down. And every day, we have something that we can do. We can’t repay the sacrifice, but we can honor that sacrifice by making this country safer and stronger and more secure for the people that they served, by living up to what they sacrificed their lives for.”
Vance discusses crime, officer safety and federal policy
Vance also used the speech to discuss the Trump administration’s approach to crime and policing, pledging continued support for law enforcement agencies.
“In the Trump administration, we have made progress in ending the epidemic of senseless violence against our men and women in uniform,” Vance said.
He cited statistics showing line-of-duty deaths had reached what he described as “their lowest level in 80 years” in 2025 and pointed to nationwide declines in violent crime categories, including murders, robberies and aggravated assaults.
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Vance attributed those declines to changes in federal policies and border enforcement efforts.
“We crushed the criminal cartels and halted the tide of narcotics and migrant crime flooding across our borders,” he said.
The vice president also criticized previous federal oversight of police departments, saying the administration had “stopped handcuffing the police and started handcuffing more violent criminals.”
He also highlighted administration initiatives affecting law enforcement officers, including overtime tax policies, funding for local policing grants and support for programs such as the Byrne JAG and COPS grants.
“Our attitude is very simple,” Vance said. “You support us, so you deserve a government that supports you every single day.”
The ceremony concluded with continued tributes to fallen officers and calls for officers currently serving to continue honoring their legacy through service and leadership.
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