MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Coon Rapids Police Department Joins National Police Week 2026 Observance Honoring Fallen Officers and Law Enforcement Service

COON RAPIDS, MN (May 11, 2026) The Coon Rapids Police Department on Monday joined law enforcement agencies across the United States in marking the beginning of National Police Week 2026, an annual observance recognizing the service of law enforcement officers and honoring those who died in the line of duty.

National Police Week officially began Monday, May 11, and continues through Saturday, May 17. The observance was established in 1962 after President John F. Kennedy signed a joint congressional resolution designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week surrounding it as National Police Week.

In a public statement released Monday, the Coon Rapids Police Department described the week as “a meaningful time dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifices made by our law enforcement officers.”

The department stated that the observance serves as a reminder of the “steadfast commitment shown by officers in Coon Rapids and across the country as they fulfill their mission to protect and serve their communities.”

Officials also paid tribute to officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, stating the department expresses its “deepest respect and tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Peace Officers Memorial Day, observed annually on May 15, remains the central recognition day during National Police Week. Under federal law and presidential proclamation tradition, United States flags are flown at half-staff in honor of fallen officers.

National observances throughout the week include memorial ceremonies, survivor tributes, educational events, and public safety recognition programs held in communities across the country.

One of the week’s major national events is the formal Roll Call of Heroes ceremony in Washington, where the names of officers killed in the line of duty during the previous year, along with newly identified historical cases, are added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

The memorial is maintained by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which also oversees the National Law Enforcement Museum and coordinates several National Police Week activities.

National Police Week also includes the annual National Police Week 5K, a community fundraising event supporting memorial preservation efforts and law enforcement survivor programs.

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the memorial in Washington honors more than 24,000 federal, state, county, tribal, and local officers who have died in the line of duty throughout United States history.

The observance comes as law enforcement agencies nationwide continue balancing public safety responsibilities with growing conversations surrounding transparency, community trust, accountability, recruitment challenges, mental health, and evolving expectations regarding modern policing practices.

In Coon Rapids and throughout Anoka County, local agencies are expected to participate in memorial observances and public recognition activities during the week.

Community support initiatives associated with National Police Week often include public memorial ceremonies, blue porch light displays honoring officers, messages of appreciation directed to departments, and local remembrance events recognizing Minnesota officers who died in the line of duty.

The Coon Rapids Police Department operates within one of the largest suburban communities in the northern Twin Cities metropolitan area and regularly participates in community-oriented policing and public engagement initiatives throughout the year.

Additional information regarding National Police Week and memorial activities is available through the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Local public safety updates and department information are also available through the City of Coon Rapids official website.

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