This resolution recognizes the significance of National Police Week, which is observed during the week of May 15th each year, as established by President John Kennedy in 1962 and further emphasized by President Clinton in 1994 with the directive to fly the United States flag at half-staff. The resolution notes that in 2023, 136 police officers were killed in the line of duty in the United States, with 328 officers shot and 43,469 assaulted while performing their duties. It also references the historical data from the Officer Down Memorial Page, which records 26,566 known line-of-duty deaths since 1791, including 54 from Rhode Island.
The Senate of the State of Rhode Island resolves to commemorate May 12 through May 18 of 2024 as "National Police Week" in Rhode Island, honoring the service and sacrifices of police and law enforcement officers. The resolution also instructs the Secretary of State to send certified copies of the resolution to relevant law enforcement associations, including the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, the National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, and the Rhode Island Troopers Association, to acknowledge this commemoration officially.