Law Enforcement Memorial event

On Friday, May 23, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Minneapolis Police Department held the annual Law Enforcement Memorial event.

Each year, the agencies co-host the ceremony to honor the brave law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. 

This year, they honored Minneapolis Police Officer Jamal Mitchell, who made the ultimate sacrifice on May 30, 2024. Mitchell was a fiancé, a father and a son, and had been a member of the Minneapolis Police Department since 2022.

Our local event aligns roughly with the national observance. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls as National Police Week. 

“Every day, our peace officers put on their badges, making a commitment to help others, often in their darkest moments,” Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt said. “Today’s memorial reminds us of why we chose the path of service and why our work matters so deeply in our communities. … Let us reaffirm our own commitment to serving with courage, integrity, and respect. We are the land of the free because of the brave.”