| R 299 |
| 2022 -- H 8249 Enacted 05/12/2022 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING THE WEEK OF MAY 15 THROUGH MAY 21, 2022 TO BE "NATIONAL POLICE WEEK" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, IN REMEMBRANCE OF ALL POLICE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE LINE OF DUTY |
Introduced By: Representatives Hull, Noret, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Filippi, Fenton-Fung, Baginski, McLaughlin, Nardone, and Azzinaro |
| Date Introduced: May 12, 2022 |
| WHEREAS, In 1962, President John Kennedy signed a proclamation declaring May 15th |
| of each year to be National Police Officers Memorial Day and the week in which May 15th falls to |
| be National Police Week. In 1994, President Clinton directed that the United States flag be flown |
| at half-staff every May 15th; and |
| WHEREAS, This year, during the week of May 15 through May 21, we remember and |
| honor all the brave men and women serving as police and law enforcement officers who through |
| the years have made the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect the public in service to our nation; |
| and |
| WHEREAS, The FBI database states that 59 police officers were killed in the line of duty |
| from January 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021, a fifty-one percent increase from the prior year; and |
| WHEREAS, Nationally, 60,105 law enforcement officers were assaulted while |
| performing their duties, an increase of 4,071 from 2019. FBI Director Christopher Wray has |
| stated that on average, a law enforcement officer is murdered more often than every five days in |
| the United States; and |
| WHEREAS, According to the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP), a nonprofit |
| organization that keeps track of all statistics related to law enforcement officers killed in the line |
| of duty, since 1791, there have been 25,747 known line-of-duty deaths, including 53 from the |
| State of Rhode Island; and |
| WHEREAS, Each year during National Police Week, approximately 25,000 to 40,000 |
| attendees congregate in Washington D.C., at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial |
| where they attend vigils and services to honor the memory of all the police and law enforcement |
| officers who have perished in service to our nation; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| proclaims May 15 through May 21 of 2022 to be "National Police Week" in the State of Rhode |
| Island; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of the resolution to the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, |
| and to Mr. Patrick Yoes, National President, Fraternal Order of Police. |
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| LC005907 |
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