For the first time in its history, the Dallas County Board of Supervisors Tuesday proclaimed National Police Week in Dallas County. The annual observance, held during the week in which May 15 falls, honors all law enforcement officers in U.S. history killed in the line of duty.
National Police Week was established in 1962 by U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The supervisors issued the proclamation at their Tuesday morning meeting in Adel.
The preamble of the proclamation states the purpose of the commemoration: “To recognize National Police Week 2016 and to honor the service and sacrifice of those law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty while protecting our communities and safeguarding our democracy.”
The proclamation reads:
WHEREAS, there are approximately 900,000 law enforcement officers serving in communities across the United States, including the dedicated members of the Dallas County law enforcement community;
WHEREAS, nearly 60,000 assaults against law enforcement officers are recorded each year, resulting in approximately 16,000 injuries;
WHEREAS, since the first recorded death in 1791, almost 20,000 law enforcement officers in the United States have made the ultimate sacrifice and been killed in the line of duty;
WHEREAS, the names of these dedicated public servants are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.;
WHEREAS, 128 new names of fallen heroes are being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial this spring;
WHEREAS, the service and sacrifice of all officers killed in the line of duty will be honored during the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund’s Annual Candlelight Vigil;
WHEREAS, the Candlelight Vigil is part of National Police Week, which takes place this year on May 15-21;
WHEREAS, May 15 is designated as Peace Officers Memorial Day, in honor of all fallen officers and their families and U.S. flags should be flown at half staff;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Dallas County Board of Supervisors formally designates Sunday, May 15 to Saturday, 21, 2016, as Police Week in Dallas County and publicly salutes the service of law enforcement officers in our community and in communities across the nation.
The proclamation was signed by the three-member board of supervisors. Representing the county’s law enforcement community were Dallas County Sheriff Chad Leonard, Dallas County Sheriff Lieutenant Adam Infante, Adel Police Department Sgt. Wade Book and former Urbandale Police Department Officer and Dallas County Attorney Wayne Reisetter.
