National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day Date in the current year: January 9, 2024

The United States has almost 18,000 police agencies at the federal, state and local levels, and over 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers. These people often work long and odd hours to serve their community and protect people from crime and violence, as well as risk their lives every day. More than 150 American police officers are killed every year in the line of duty.

Sadly, law enforcement officers are often underappreciated. Many people underestimate the dangers they face every day; besides, a lot of negative attention has been given to law enforcement recently. Of course, the issue of police misconduct does exist and needs to be addressed, but law enforcement officers who serve their country and its citizens dutifully should be recognized.

In 2015, multiple professional organizations and non-profits came together to establish National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Their main goal was to combat negativity directed towards law enforcement, raise awareness of the dangers and occupational hazards that law enforcement officers face every day, and encourage the general public to voice their appreciation to the people who ensure their safety.

Organizations that support National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day host special events and organize awareness campaigns on the occasion. They include Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), the FBI National Academy Associates, the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the International Conference of Police Chaplains, Law Enforcement United, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the National Troopers Coalition, and the Officer Down Memorial Page.

There are several ways to get involved with L.E.A.D. and show your support for law enforcement on January 9. You can wear blue clothes, send a thank you card to your local police department, thank a police officer personally if you see one, or share your positive experiences with law enforcement on social media (and don’t forget to add the hashtags #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay and #LEAD to spread the word). You also can participate in Project Blue Light, which encourages people to place blue Christmas lights in their windows or shine a blue porch light to honor deceased police officers, or in a Blue Blood Drive.

In addition to National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, Americans observe Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15 to honor the memory of all law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty and support their families. Similar observances are held in some other countries, for example, Police Commemoration Day in India (October 21), National Police Memorial Day in the UK (the nearest Sunday to September 29), and National Police Remembrance Day in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands (September 29).