U.S Attorney Peace recognizes National Police Week

May 12, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace, EDNY. Photo courtesy of U.S. Justice Dept.

Share this:

In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace officially recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local law enforcement.

This year, the week is observed Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17, 2022. The Eastern District, headquartered in Brooklyn, covers Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties.

“These are challenging times for the brave members of law enforcement who, at great risk to themselves from gun violence, COVID-19 and other threats endemic to their profession, answer the call of duty every day to protect the communities in our district,” said U.S. Attorney Peace. “This week, join me in honoring and thanking these selfless men and women for their public service, and their families, too, who share in the sacrifices made for our benefit.”

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices.

Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.

Based on data submitted to and analyzed by the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 472 law enforcement officers died nationwide in the line of duty in 2021.

Of that number, 319 succumbed to the coronavirus, including Lieutenant Robert John Van Zeyl of the Suffolk County Police Department, Sergeant John Lowry of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, and Police Officers Leonardo Chavez and Marze Murray Jr., of the New York City Police Department’s Transit Bureau.

Additionally, according to 2021 statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program, 73 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2021 were killed as a result of felonious acts, while 56 died in accidents.

Deaths resulting from felonious acts increased in 2021, rising more than 58 percent from the previous year.

In 2021, unprovoked attacks were the cause of 24 deaths, significantly outpacing all other line-of-duty deaths resulting from felony acts and reaching the highest annual total in over 30 years of reporting.