[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 129, 114th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9277 of May 8, 2015

Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Each May, our Nation salutes the American women and men who put their
lives on the line every day to maintain public safety and hold
accountable those who break the law. On Peace Officers Memorial Day and
during Police Week, we recognize all those who have dedicated their
lives to this vital task. With heavy hearts, we mourn the heroes taken
from us only because they chose to serve, and we rededicate ourselves to
carrying forward their noble legacy.
Our law enforcement officers have extraordinarily tough jobs. They
regularly work in dangerous environments and in difficult, high-tension
situations. And they often face challenges deeply rooted in systemic
problems and broader social issues. These professionals serve to protect
their communities and strengthen their Nation, and they deserve to go
home safely to their loved ones at the end of each shift. As President,
I am committed to making sure America's dedicated police officers
receive the support and recognition they have earned, and to doing all I
can to protect those who protect us.
One important way to make policing safer and more effective is by
continuing to enhance relations and trust between law enforcement and
the neighborhoods they serve. This will make it easier and safer for
police officers to do their jobs, and it will strengthen the places we
live and work. This important task will require our Nation--our
communities, our law enforcement, and our leaders at every level--to
come together to commit to meeting this challenge and moving our country
forward, block by block and neighborhood by neighborhood. As President,
I firmly believe it is within our power to make progress in our time,
and I am dedicated to partnering with all those who are willing to do
this necessary work.
My Administration is taking concrete steps to implement the commonsense,
pragmatic recommendations my Task Force on 21st Century Policing put
forward based on input from law enforcement personnel as well as
criminal justice experts, community leaders, and civil liberties
advocates. And we are engaging with local jurisdictions so they can
begin to make the changes that will help ensure that police officers and
their communities are partners in battling crime and that everyone feels
safe on and off the job.
Our Nation's police officers are mentors in our schools, familiar faces
on the corner, and pillars of our communities. They keep our borders
secure and our roads safe, and in times of crisis, they rush toward
tragedy. They are hardworking mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons who
have dedicated their lives to public service, working every day to build
a brighter future for their families and their Nation. Their selfless
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mitment and daily sacrifice represent what is possible for every city,
town, and reservation in America, and our country has an enormous
opportunity to lift up the very best law enforcement personnel as
examples--not just to other officers, but to all who aspire to lives of
good citizenship. This week and every week, let us remember the patriots
who laid down their lives for ours and honor all who strive to make our
Nation more safe, more free, and more just.
By a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962, as amended (76 Stat.
676), and by Public Law 103-322, as amended (36 U.S.C. 136-137), the
President has been authorized and requested to designate May 15 of each
year as ``Peace Officers Memorial Day'' and the week in which it falls
as ``Police Week.''
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim May 15, 2015, as Peace Officers Memorial Day
and May 10 through May 16, 2015, as Police Week. I call upon all
Americans to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and
activities. I also call on the Governors of the United States and its
Territories, and appropriate officials of all units of government, to
direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial
Day. I further encourage all Americans to display the flag at half-staff
from their homes and businesses on that day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of May,
in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.
BARACK OBAMA