This is Police Week, when Americans are reminded of the importance of our nation's law enforcement officers, and the crucial, often thankless service they provide to us all every day of the year and every hour of the day.
In honor of Police Week, on Friday morning the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) held an annual memorial service - now in its 45th year - in remembrance of officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
The event, officially known as the National Peace Officers' Memorial Service, serves as a solemn pause to hold a sacred space for loved ones and fellow officers. It takes place at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., at Judiciary Square.
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This year, Vice President JD Vance made remarks during the service, which is hosted by the National Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary. Ahead of his speech, FOP shared brief interviews on their X account with some of the Auxiliary members. One member in particular seemed, at least to me, to embody the tone and the purpose of the memorial event: Glenda Lehmann, the president of the National Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary.
Glenda explained that she was there to support the families, which she called an "honor," and that she is " truly humbled to be a part of honoring" these heroes who served our nation's communities. She also said it's important for them to live up to the organization's motto, that they are "making sure that their families never walk alone" in their grief:
When asked what it means to help welcome survivors to National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, Glenda Lehmann reflected on the heart behind the work.
— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) May 15, 2026
“It’s an honor. I’m truly humbled to be part of honoring those who served our communities and made the ultimate sacrifice. More… pic.twitter.com/mjsOstLowr
As things go, the law enforcement officers memorial is fairly new, being dedicated in 1991. (You can take a virtual tour of it at this link.)
Vice President Vance opened his remarks by sharing a moving teaching of Scripture from Isaiah 6:8, tying it back to the call to service that every police man and woman answers:
"In the Old Testament, God does not force Isaiah to serve him. Isaiah knew it would not be easy, but he steps up willingly... He accepts God's call to give his life in service to his fellow man, and today, we remember men and women in uniform who laid down their lives answering… pic.twitter.com/SOmUHfxYou
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 15, 2026
The passage, spoken by the prophet Isaiah while he was inside the Temple in Jerusalem, reads:
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (NIV)
VP Vance said of the line from The Old Testament:
I think it speaks so much to the sacrifice and to the duty and to the sense of purpose that every single law enforcement officer takes with them on the job.
[...]
My friends, we gather this afternoon to remember the men and women who hear the exact same call, men and women whose selflessness led them toward danger when others fled, people who said, 'Send me," not 'Send somebody else,' but "send me,' people whose service was a way of life, not a burden.
He continued by lauding the character of these people for whom "service was a way of life," to their loved ones and their cherished communities from the first time they put on the badge, to the "moment that they took their very last breath."
In a second clip, the vice president expanded on the biblical analogy:
JD Vance joined thousands of survivors, officers, and supporters at the 45th National Peace Officers' Memorial Service to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) May 15, 2026
A solemn reminder that their service will never be forgotten and their families… pic.twitter.com/8gF0O3jVzH
We need reminders as a nation that supporting our law enforcement officers isn't a given. Not by the Left. It sure wasn't the default setting under the former White House during Pres. Biden's tenure. This is something the Trump administration has strived to make right since the first year of the new administration.
The most obvious change from the Biden White House was the halting of the war on cops during the first 100 days of Trump 47. Blue-state Democrat lawmakers were urged by Biden era mandates to find "alternatives to arrest" - even when violent criminals were involved. Trump also slashed regulations that kept our law enforcement officers from engaging in lawful ways with suspects.
The Justice Department under Pres. Biden went on an orgy of filing criminal lawsuits against police and fire departments across the country. With the stroke of his pen, Pres. Donald Trump ordered the new DOJ team to call off the dogs. Another part of the restoration of trust between the federal government and first responders was the seeking out and scrapping of woke, DEI mandates in hiring policies. Those ended as well, starting in 2025.
One crucial change that many readers are well aware of is the surging of federalized National Guardsmen to areas of the country that have been all but abandoned by Democrats. As I previously wrote, U.S, Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro did not mince words in how drastic the improvement was, once local police knew someone had their backs.
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Every one of us needs to recommit ourselves. We cannot forget the ultimate sacrifices of these heroes, and the family members who never got a chance to welcome them home again. They deserve our love, and prayers for God to strengthen them, on days like this one.
Check out this week's Washington Watch!https://t.co/WqSIusCsLF pic.twitter.com/EFJVOMwa5R
— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) May 15, 2026
Never forget. 🇺🇲💙 pic.twitter.com/GUOMTIzEE5
— Betsy Brantner Smith (@sgtbetsysmith) May 15, 2026
Editor’s Note: The American people overwhelmingly support President Trump’s law and order agenda.
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