The Honolulu Police Department is set to mark National Police Week starting today, May 12, a nationwide observance honoring law enforcement officers who have died on duty and those continuing to serve the community; this information comes via the HPD's official announcement. As part of the week's events, Mayor Rick Blangiardi will issue a proclamation at Kahala Mall Center Court declaring the week of May 11 to 17 as Police Week in the City & County of Honolulu, The public is cordially invited to partake in the 11 a.m. ceremony to show their support.
In solidarity with the solemn week, a Remembrance Walk and Memorial Service for Fallen Officers is scheduled for the evening today, May 12; participants will gather at the HPD’s Alapai headquarters and navigate toward the Hawaii State Capitol, followed by a candlelight vigil and memorial service inside the Capitol Rotunda at 6:30 p.m., where fallen officers will be remembered and their names read from the HPD's Roll of Honor, the event aims to bring together citizens and officers in reflecting on the sacrifices made by those who have fallen in the line of duty.
Conceived in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy, National Police Week positions the week of May 15 as a solemn time for reflection and gratitude towards law enforcement officers. The week's significance is punctuated by ceremonies and rites acknowledging the weight of the badges carried and the lives laid down in the line of community safety and order. The HPD extends an open invite to the public to take part in this homage, bidding the community to unite in a collective act of remembrance and acknowledgment for those who've pledged their lives to uphold the law.
According to the HPD announcement, the events are an attempt to bridge the gap between the police and the community they serve – by giving a face to the men and women behind the badge and remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice the department, and by extension, the city, honors their bravery and service.
