Engraving The Names

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.

Prior to National Police Week each year, names are engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial that include officers who died in the line of duty the previous year, as well others lost in earlier years but were recently discovered. When the final list of names is approved, test strips are created to physically inspect the layout of the names on the Memorial wall. Memorial Fund staff places the paper strips onto the wall panels to ensure each panel has the correct number of names. Any corrections are made before the list is sent to the engravers.

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, which can take up to 10 days to complete.

All newly engraved names on the Memorial are formally dedicated during the Annual Candlelight Vigil, as part of the National Police Week observance.

Finding Names on the Memorial

The names of the fallen officers are engraved on the Memorial walls each year in random order for the most part. To help visitors find the names of specific officers, directories are placed at each of the four entrance points.

Questions?

If you have questions about the proper handling of materials to be left at the Memorial, please contact:

Memorial Fund:
Tel: 202.737.3400
Email:  [email protected]

2021
Memorial Expansion Project

Extending The Wall

Plans for an expansion launched in early April of 2020 to add space to the wall vertically by adding 15 inches to the height of the current Walls of Remembrance. The endeavor is being spearheaded by the original architect, Davis Buckley, and stone is being provided from the same original quarry to provide a seamless match to the existing structure.

The expansion will add 15-25 sections to the Memorial. The resulting structure should suit the needs of the law enforcement community and its citizens for another 35-37 years.

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to Accommodate Fallen Heroes for Next 35 Years

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