News and Events Press Release: New Names Added To NLEOM Wall

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall is adding new names to honor fallen law enforcement officers. Read more.

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 15, 2021) – Engravers will be onsite at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial for five to ten days, beginning Wednesday, April 21, 2021, adding the names of line-of-duty fallen officers vetted over the last year.

A rigorous vetting process is followed before names are approved to be added to the revered space. This year’s names include those of 394 officers who died in the line of duty over the last year, as well as others lost in earlier years, but recently discovered. Of the 394 lives lost, 182 were claimed by COVID-19. Over 22,000 names are currently on the wall.

“This year, marks the 30th Anniversary of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, the only living memorial to law enforcement officers in the nation,” said Pat Montuore, Executive Director, National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. “It is with humble gratitude to all those we’ve lost in the line of duty that we witness each new name as it’s engraved on the Memorial. May they rest in peace.”

Engravers begin on the panel where the final name was engraved the previous year. An adhesive stencil of names is laid on the panel to ensure engravings will be made at the proper distance. The stencil is then surrounded by protective materials, then sandblasted from multiple angles to create each individual letter until an entire line of names is complete. The process repeats until all names are fully engraved.

“As the leading authority on line-of-duty deaths, our goal is to ensure that the utmost care is taken not only in vetting and authenticating each name but that each is engraved on the Memorial to the degree that the integrity is forever maintained,” said Marcia Ferranto, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. “We want to make sure this national monument – which is dedicated to some of our greatest heroes – continues to honor their service and sacrifice, and those families and loved ones can take pride in visiting for generations to come.”

All newly engraved names on the Memorial are formally dedicated during the annual Candlelight Vigil as part of the National Police Week observance. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s Candlelight Vigil will be held virtually on May 13 at 8:00 p.m. An in-person event honoring the fallen will be held during Police Weekend, October 13-17, 2021.

About the National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum (NLEMM)

Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the fallen, telling the story of American law enforcement, and making it safer for those who serve. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (LawMemorial.org) contains the names of 22,217 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The National Law Enforcement Museum (LawEnforcementMuseum.org) expands and enriches the relationship between law enforcement and the community by sharing true stories of service and sacrifice from across the nation. Through immersive, educational exhibitions and insightful programs, we preserve the history of law enforcement for generations to come.