NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS MEMORIAL FUND
THE
ROSE AND SHIELD INSIDER FALL 2026 EDITION
THE STORIES THAT STAY WITH US
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here’s something sacred about watching someone arrive at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial or Museum for the first time. Some visitors pause quietly, taking in the walls, the names, the weight of where they are standing. Others arrive with years of memories behind them and say, “I’ve been here countless times.” For so many families and officers, this is not simply a place to visit. It is a place to return. That is what National Police Week this past May made so clear. Across the Memorial and Museum, we saw first-time visitors and longtime supporters standing side by side. We saw families tracing names. Officers walking slowly through the Memorial. Guests discovering stories inside the Museum that made the badge feel more human, more personal, and more deeply understood. One day, Sheriff Michael Neal came to visit with Museum guests near the truck he once drove as a wildlife officer, the same truck he used to stop a deadly threat and help save fellow officers. Still marked by the gunfire from that day, the truck is preserved in the Museum as a powerful reminder of how quickly service can become sacrifice. In visitors’ interactions with Sheriff Neal, an artifact became something more. It became a living connection between history, courage, and the people who come here to better understand what law enforcement asks of those who wear the badge. During the 38th Annual Candlelight Vigil, that same sense of connection INSIDE THIS ISSUE: filled the National Mall. In the hours before the ceremony, a storm loomed in the distance. p2: A Special Message from our CEO The sky held. Families gathered. Candles were raised. Names were p2: Join a National Tribute read aloud into the evening air. p3: More Than a Badge: State by state, the bell marked each new group of names. For some Donor Spotlight states, like New York, you could feel a wave move through the crowd as people stood together. For others, only a few people rose from different p3: A Life of Compassion and Courage places across the National Mall. p4: Honoring the 667 Heroes Both moments carried their own weight. of September 11 Because of supporters like you, the National Law Enforcement Officers p4: Take Your Support to the Stands! Memorial Fund can continue creating these moments of honor, remembrance, and connection. p4: Bid & Win to Honor the Fallen Your generosity helped make this year’s Vigil possible. It keeps the p5: Turning Tragedy into Safer Roads Memorial cared for. It keeps the Museum open. And it ensures that for Law Enforcement the stories behind the badge are preserved for families, officers, and p5: Your Impact in Action future generations. p6: Ways to Give 444 E STREET, NW
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A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO Dear Friends, Forty-two years ago, we made a promise that no officer who died in the line of duty would ever be forgotten. That promise lives on with the 24,775 names now engraved on our Memorial. This April, we added the names of 109 officers who died in the line of duty last year, along with 254 officers from prior years. Then, in May, each of those 363 fallen officers’ names were spoken aloud at our Annual Candlelight Vigil. For the first time in 38 years, weather forced us to cut the program short. But not before every name was read aloud, and every hero was honored. This fall, we gather once again, during Police Weekend (September 25–27) to recognize the agencies who are proving every day that fewer names on this Memorial is a goal worth fighting for. Their work is our mission made visible, and we are proud to honor their progress as Destination Zero award winners. Our mission must never rest. With 54 officer deaths so far this year and additional historical deaths pending committee review, our Memorial is expected to surpass 25,000 names next year. Each name was a life fully given, and each one deserves to be enshrined and safeguarded forever.
During the 38th Annual Candlelight Vigil, rain didn’t stop the thousands that gathered to honor our fallen officers.
Sheriff Michael Neal with his pickup truck that was badly damaged by gunfire which earned the truck its place in the Museum.
The names on our Memorial have a guardian. That guardian is you. As we approach the 35th anniversary of the Memorial’s dedication on October 15, I’m eternally grateful for all that you make possible. Together in service, Bill Alexander Chief Executive Officer
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Join a National Tribute Supporters from across the country helped build our 2026 Wreath of Remembrance for National Police Week. Stay tuned later this fall for how you can add your rose to this growing tribute and help create a powerful symbol of gratitude for our fallen American heroes.
MORE THAN A BADGE: DONOR SPOTLIGHT For Joe Morris, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is more than a place of remembrance. It is where names, faces, and sacrifice are carried forward. On September 11, 2001, Joe was a police inspector with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, in charge of LaGuardia Airport. After responding to the World Trade Center, he was designated as the Port Authority’s lead at the site for rescue and recovery operations. In the aftermath, he helped guide a department grieving 37 fallen officers while its remaining officers continued protecting the region’s airports, bridges, tunnels, ports, and transportation systems. “There was a Saturday where we had four funerals,” he recalls. “We had to train officers to be honor guards to cover them all.” Joe’s connection deepened during Police Week in 2002, when he stood at the Annual Candlelight Vigil and read the names of fallen officers. “There is no better tribute than the Memorial. The names are there forever,” he says. Nearly a decade later, at the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Joe shared his story on a panel, helping preserve what officers did that day and what their families endured. “Every name etched in stone represents an officer who went to work expecting to come home.” The Memorial ensures their sacrifice remains visible, honored, and forever woven into the story of American law enforcement.
A LIFE OF COMPASSION AND COURAGE REMEMBERING POLICE OFFICER BRIAN ELLIOTT End of Watch: February 16, 2026 Years in Service: 5 Police Officer Brian Elliott served the Beech Grove Police Department with courage, dedication, and commitment to his Indiana hometown. Before joining the department, he served with distinction as a sheriff deputy. Officer Elliott was responding to a domestic disturbance call when he and another officer were fired upon by a man inside an apartment. He is remembered not only for his service, but for the life he lived beyond the badge, as a husband to Erin, a devoted dog dad to Ellie, a bass guitar player, and a loyal Indianapolis Colts fan. His death is a solemn reminder of the courage required of officers each day and the families forever changed when they do not return home.
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HONORING THE 667 HEROES OF SEPTEMBER 11 This year marked 25 years since September 11, but the loss carried by the law enforcement community is still unfolding. At our 9/11 Ceremony to Honor the Fallen, we honored the 667 officers who died that day or in the years after from September 11-related illnesses. Your generosity helps us to continue to protect the memory of those who protected others, even when the cost was greater than anyone could imagine.
TAKE YOUR SUPPORT TO THE STANDS! All year round, you can stand with law enforcement while enjoying unforgettable sporting events and community gatherings that help support the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Each event brings together officers, first responders, families, friends, and supporters to honor those who serve and raise vital support for our mission. Here are a few upcoming events:
FIRST RESPONDERS NIGHT
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 | 7:30pm Washington Mystics First Responders Night Capital One Arena | Washington, DC
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 | 2:00pm Kansas Speedway NASCAR Cup Series First Responders Day Kansas Speedway | Kansas City, KS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25 | 10:00am Connecticut Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Run The Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill | Middletown, CT See a full list of upcoming sporting events and activities at NLEOMF.org/Events.
BID & WIN TO HONOR THE FALLEN During Police Weekend, September 25–27, join NLEOMF’s 2026 Online Auction and turn every bid into an act of remembrance. From exclusive experiences and memorabilia to travel packages and special gifts, each item helps honor fallen heroes, educate the public about the sacrifices of law enforcement, and protect those still serving. Whether you bid or make a direct donation, your support helps ensure every name, sacrifice, and legacy is never forgotten. Take part in our online auction at NLEOMF.org/Auction. FALL 2026 | THE ROSE AND SHIELD: INSIDER 4
TURNING TRAGEDY INTO SAFER ROADS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT Every line-of-duty death teaches us something. Lessons that can save lives, thanks to your support of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and our partnership with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For more than a decade, NLEOMF has analyzed every traffic-related law enforcement line-of-duty death to identify the trends behind these tragedies. That data has helped shape officer safety training used nationwide, strengthened policies promoting seat belt use and roadside safety, informed recommendations for safer pursuit and tire-deflation device deployment, and reinforced national efforts like “Move Over” laws that protect officers working along our nation’s highways. Together, NLEOMF and NHTSA transform hard-earned lessons into practical guidance shared with law enforcement agencies through training, webinars, conferences, videos, and educational resources. Every recommendation is rooted in one goal: ensuring more officers make it home safely at the end of every shift. Because of you, we’re doing more than honoring the fallen—we’re helping protect those who continue to serve.
YOUR IMPACT IN ACTION What’s New at the Museum The newest exhibit, Without Warning: Ending the Terror of the DC Snipers, is open now through December 2027! This experience brings visitors inside one of the most complex and terrifying investigations in modern American history. Through rare artifacts, audio recordings, and investigative details, visitors see how officers from local, state, and federal agencies worked together under relentless pressure to restore safety and save lives. We’d love for you to come visit the Museum!
Honoring the Fallen: Memorial Updates This spring, 363 names were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial—each representing a life of service, a family forever changed, and a sacrifice now preserved for generations. As of July 2026, line-of-duty deaths are down 8%. Yet traffic-related fatalities remain a concern, reminding us remembrance and prevention must go hand in hand.
New Initiatives in Officer Safety and Wellness During Police Weekend (September 25–27), we will honor this year’s Destination Zero award winners across five categories, recognizing agencies whose programs are helping improve officer safety and wellness. Their work reminds us that honoring the fallen also means helping protect those who continue to serve.
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GIVE REGULARLY
WAYS TO GIVE
Monthly Giving
GIVE NOW
Join our Enduring Watch Society and qualify for Thin Blue Line Society benefits with an automated monthly gift of $84 to provide steady support year-round.
Online, Phone, or Mail
Workplace Giving
Make a secure one-time gift, set up recurring donations through your preferred method, or consider a gift through a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF).
Make giving easy through payroll deduction or see if your employer matches charitable contributions.
Gifts of Stock Give more while keeping more! You can donate appreciated stocks for greater tax savings and impact.
Donate Your Vehicle Turn your unwanted car, truck, or motorcycle into vital support for NLEOMF.
GIVE LATER
Planned Giving Include NLEOMF in your estate plan and create a lasting legacy for law enforcement. Legacy gifts of $5,000 or more will qualify you for our Circle of Valor. At this giving level, you’ll receive website recognition, inclusion in our Annual Report, and an invitation to our annual CEO Briefing.
To give online now, please visit NLEOMF.org/FallInsider. To learn more about your giving options, please visit NLEOMF.org/Support.
ANNUAL DONOR OPPORTUNITIES
We invite you to donate at the level that best suits your goal: GIVING LEVEL BENEFITS MUSEUM SHOP DISCOUNT WEBSITE RECOGNITION ANNUAL REPORT LISTING MUSEUM TICKETS INVITATION TO CEO BRIEFING VIGIL SEATING
FALLEN HEROES CIRCLE
THREE PILLAR PARTNER
SHIELD SOCIETY
THIN BLUE LINE SOCIETY
DEFENDERS OF THE LINE
SERVICE SUPPORTERS
$25,000+
$10,000-$24,999
$5,000-$9,999
$1,000-$4,999
$250-$999
$100-$249
25% X X 8 tickets
20% X X 6 tickets
15% X X 4 tickets
10% X X 2 tickets
10% X
10%
X
X
X
X
6 seats
4 seats
2 seats
Become an NLEOMF Ambassador Are you an active, former, or retired law enforcement officer? Join the NLEOMF
Ambassador Program! As an Ambassador, you’ll serve as a local NLEOMF liaison to law enforcement agencies by providing training and technical assistance to officers and attend events as a representative of the organization. To learn more and get involved, visit NLEOMF.org/Ambassadors.
Listen to Precinct 444 Podcast Each episode dives deep into the challenges and triumphs of law enforcement, from
wellness and trauma to the latest in officer safety and beyond. Tune in to learn how dedicated professionals are serving and evolving to protect their communities. Explore the series at NLEOMF.org/Museum/Precinct-444. TO MAKE A GIFT TODAY, PLEASE SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT
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National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization (Tax ID# 52-1382926) operating the Memorial and Museum campus in Washington, DC. Charitable donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
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